More Travels, Garden Sightings and Canada Day Finds

 With the weather not too desirable the last few days (until today), I have not found much.  The excessive rain continued until Saturday.  I think farmers should consider growing rice around here with all the flooded fields!

The garden is about at its peak now, and lots of insects have been visiting the yard.  

A couple of new ones have showed up as well.  Some just have scientific names and are difficult to pin down since there are many look-alikes.

Lasioglossum pilosum

Odontomyia

Ligated Furrow Bee

Two-spotted Longhorn Bee

Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee

Bellflower Resin Bee

And, those very tiny and difficult to photograph insects..

Oblique Streaktail

Globetails and calligraphers are in this category too.

I found a katydid in the garden today.  May be Fork-tailed Bush Katydid

Lots of Red Admirals in the yard today, but this Orange Sulphur was an uncommon visitor here.

Sunday a cold stiff north wind was blowing most of the day.  Some sun was forecast, but that never happened (at least until late afternoon)!  I did quite a bit of running around being quite disappointed with how things went since the sun never came out.

After going for a walk on the CASO trail near Ridgetown, I stopped by the lagoons.  A couple of fall migrants in the form of Least Sandpipers were working the mud.

It was then off to Clearville.  I could hear a Dickcissel singing somewhere west of Clearville Road, so another new location this year.

I walked the cemetery trail nearby.  It is good for butterflies when the weather co-operates.  A couple of Northern Pearly-Eye were out under cloudy skies.

Even though the sun was not out, I visited the old quarry.  Naturally, not much was flying due to lack of sun.  More of those bluets that nobody seems to be able to identify were flying.  May be Azure Bluets.

I found this unidentified dragonfly at one point.

(Sorry, that is some type of fishing lure!)

I have been finding quite a few of those sedgesitters lately.  Here is one at Clear Creek.

After that disappointment, I worked my way up to Wardsville Woods for more disappointment!  (I need to stop looking at weather forecasts!).

I did not expect much and certainly did not see much, but I had to look anyway.

Heading home, I made one more detour before cutting my losses for the day.  At Reid CA, this Smeared Dagger caterpillar stood out on the sedges.

Nearby, this Bunchberry Leaffolder Moth was perched.

Here is another fly, possibly Melanostoma.

Not sure what this grasshopper species is.

Early for Halloween, this pennant briefly posed.

Although today started out quite cool, it was finally a perfect weather day.  Long time coming!

I went for a walk at McKeough, doing some bird atlassing.  I finally heard a couple of Black-billed Cuckoos.  They have been notably scarce or absent everywhere this spring.

Early on, this Coyote took a brief look at me, then scooted off.

I saw a couple of Spot-winged Gliders at one point.  It was too early for much to be flying yet.

I then went over to Reid for a long walk around the back field.  There were a couple more Spot-winged Gliders.

Royal River Cruisers are now out, and I saw at least three.  However, they did not co-operate for photos!

And, I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo for the first time there this year.  Did the cuckoos just come in, or what?

I caught sight of a hairstreak, which looked like Hickory.  It was in a horrible position for a photo.

I checked for Dukes' Skippers, but none showed.  Maybe some came out this afternoon, but I was not going back again today.  They should be appearing now.  

Boots are required though with all the rain lately.  It is the wettest I have ever seen it there!

I lingered around the parking lot area for a while.  A couple of Banded Hairstreaks were in the vicinity.

So, not a total loss for hairstreaks.  Does not look good for them this year.....again.

I one point near the parking lot I caught sight of something interesting, and it turned out to be a Mocha Emerald!  It was my second for the location, and it was many years ago I saw one here last.  They are a large distinctive emerald.

As alluded to in a previous post, Mochas have been expanded their range and breeding areas.  Lots have been seen in various spots this year already.

The Mocha sighting certainly made for a good ending to the visit at Reid!

Large Lace-border Moth at Reid

From Darners and Skimmers, To a Phalarope and a Pelee Prairie

 Have not done too much lately, as the summer wanes.  This past Sunday was a nice day as I checked out Port Lambton.  This classic laker was downbound, a favourite of many!

Wilfred Sykes

Went for an early morning walk at Reid CA again. Darners are more plentiful right now, especially Lance-tipped and Common Green.

I almost thought I had a Comet Darner, but the immature female Common Green can be a look-alike!  The main difference is that the green darner has an "bulls-eye" above and in between the eyes.  Comet is a bit larger as well.

Dukes' Skippers have done well this year, unlike many other skippers.  I still had a couple fairly fresh-looking ones this week.  Probably latest I have seen them.

Monday, I checked out Keith McLean C. L.  Although the place always has potential there was nothing of note on this particular visit.  Very little shorebird habitat this year, unfortunately. If it does not stop raining we will not have any.

Then, it was on to Blenheim lagoons.  Goal was to see the Red-necked Phalarope that had arrived the previous day. It was there, among many other shorebirds.  Better than it has been.

Two Baird's Sandpipers were still present.

Checked out Erieau marsh trail as well.  A few warblers in the tangles.

In the afternoon it was still too nice to be home, so I went up to walk Nicholl's Memorial Forest and Wetland at Wilkesport.  The usual insects were there.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Slender Spreadwing

Less common, were two Slaty Skimmers.

Eastern-tailed Blue has done well this year.  There were dozens at Nicholl's.

Monday night we had heavy rain, something we did not need!  Most of Tuesday was rainy, so there was not much to do or see.

Today, it was down to Point Pelee.  I needed a good filling of warblers, so I thought that was the best option!

I started at the Tip, but nothing was moving on the lake.  

However, the trees at the Tip were being worked by lots of warblers and flycatchers.  Of note, a Prairie Warbler was among them!

This bird spent the whole time in the area while I was there.  I heard that it was still there in mid afternoon.

At one point, I noticed something hanging high in a tree.  I did not pay much attention at first, but then realized it was a bat!  It appeared to be a Silver-haired. I have seen this and several other species at Pelee before.

(highly cropped!)

I walked back west beach trail.  Butterflies and dragonflies were in better numbers that previous visits, but nothing outstanding.

Tawny Emperor

Common Green Darners were quite plentiful there, and all the way home!  Here is one.  Note the "bulls-eye" that I mentioned previously.

Spot-winged Gliders are numerous right now.

I checked out De Laurier next.  There were a few warblers, but highlight was the sighting of two Olive-sided Flycatcher. The first one even sang once, getting my attention.  It is my favourite flycatcher.

Sleepy Hollow had a lot of warblers as well.  Numerous were Blackburnian, Cape May and Bay-breasted, tripping the eBird filter!

I could have spent more time in the park, but decided to head home after a quick check of northwest beach area.

Some Odes and Leps of August 15

 I went down to Rondeau again this morning for lack of any other idea.  Fewer birds today and there was not much action on the lake compared to yesterday.  Hundreds of gulls and terns on the east beach though.

Spot-winged Glider at Rondeau

I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. on the way out.  There is good shorebird habitat near the back along the creek.  You just have to walk back and along the dike.  Good number of birds, but nothing of note.  I expect something soon (probably on a weekday) since we are at the peak of shorebird migration!

The day was still young, so I thought I would check out the riverbank east of Thamesville.  The river is running high again, and lots of muck to watch out for, so habitat is limited.  However, I did see a single Smoky Rubyspot in short order!  This was the only one there, and it is early for them, so more to come.

This location is better than the bridge south of Thamesville since there is more area to cover and the bank is not as steep.  My photos are from a distance, highly cropped. I could not get close due to the muck!

Lots of Blue-fronted Dancers here plus Stream Bluet and Eastern Forktail.  Not a lot of odes today.

Eastern Forktail

Of course, there is the ever-abundant American Rubyspot.

It was another nice clear day, so I relaxed on the back deck this afternoon watching the garden.  I saw at least eight species of butterflies.  Highlight was my first-of-year Common Checkered Skippers.  The first one never really settled and I could not get a decent shot.

Later, I saw another, which nectared on the clover in the lawn.

Photos show this is a second individual.

Some other species included Red-spotted Purple and Peck's Skipper.  There were at least four Peck's today.

I do have a butterfly bush which is attractive to insects.  Lots of Purple Coneflower (which started from a single plant!), but that is long past its prime.  Not really a native plant to Ontario, but nice to have in the garden.

Scene from earlier in the summer

Looks like rain all week (better than on the weekend!), but perhaps the forecast will be wrong yet again.  Who knows!