Mostly Insects This Past Week

 The weather has been rather cool lately, but this time of year I am more focused on insects.  Again, leps and odes have been somewhat scarce this year but one can only look around.

Last Sunday I started at Mitchell's Bay.  Birds were of the expected kind.

Great Egret

At one point, I noticed a Gray Catbird struggling with a very large moth.  I could not get close enough to determine species, but it was obviously a sphinx moth.

Later, after submitting to iNaturalist, it was determined to be a Carolina Sphinx, one that I had not encountered before.

Obviously this catbird was not going to swallow this thing whole!

After things warmed up, I ventured east to Wardsville Woods.  

Scenes along the creek

Yet again, odes were scarce, but a few butterflies were flying.  Best was a Baltimore Checkerspot in the Ann White meadow.

A Great-spangled Fritillary here as well.

I have had this species here before.

Some Crossline Skippers were on the wing as well.

At the pond, this Slaty Skimmer posed briefly, along with Calico Pennant and Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Monday was an "off" day, but Tuesday I travelled a little further and went to John E. Pearce PP south of Wallacetown. Of course I was there a little too early to see many insects.

Heading back west, this Coyote was bounding across a field on Coyne Road.

Wardsville Woods was on the way back, so it was a must stop.  Yet again, odes were very scarce (what is going on this year?).  Early on, I encountered this clubtail.

I moved on and came back to the spot and it was still in the area.  Turned out to be a Cobra Clubtail, a rarity known here.

Some other insects included these:

Helmeted Squash Bug

Pale Green Assasin Bug

Black-dotted Glyph

The next day, I checked out Reid C. L.  No hairstreaks!  But I was early in the day.  There were several Common Thick-leg flies along the trail.

A fresh Great-spangled Fritillary was working the area.

Only one Appalachian Brown.

At one point, I noticed a Gray Treefrog trying to hide.

On Friday, I ventured to Point Pelee. I had not been there much at all this year, but this day seemed to be the day to go.

I walked out Shuster Trail and down east beach to the Tip. A Prothonotary Warbler was singing along Shuster at one point.

The Tip had lots of American White Pelicans.  Over 40 in fact.

Lots of gulls, but nothing of note.

Just south of the solar panel, I encountered the first ode (where are they?) of the day.  It was a decent one in the form of a Prince Baskettail.

I walked back west beach trail.  The theme continued of very few butterflies and dragonflies.

Back at the VC, I saw Rick's car in the parking lot, but he was nowhere to be seen.  lol.

I stopped at Hillman Marsh and walked around the shorebird cell.  There was lots of Slender Spreadwings, but very few leps and odes.  Good grief, where is everything?

At the back corner, this Yellow-billed Cuckoo had one ode in its mouth.

Today was foggy, but I drove around.  The singing Dickcissels were still at the Sombra solar farm and the floodway at Baseline Road bridge.  Nothing else of note.

Looks like it will finally warm up this coming week, so hopefull insect life will pick up.....

Dickcissel Season and Another New Lambton Bird

 Time marches on!  I have been making my usual rounds of late, taking advantage of the nice weather.

Friday I headed down to Rondeau for one last walk there until perhaps August.  Mosquitoes were bad!  I walked down Harrison from maintenance to Bennett and back Lakeshore Road.  I encountered quite a few birds, including Hooded Warbler, a couple of Acadian Flycatchers and others.

Little Wood Satyr

It was then off to Wardsville to look for odonates.  Unfortunately they were a bit thin there!  I did get one of my targets, that being an Arrowhead Spiketail.

I did see at least one other spiketail which I thought was a Twin-spotted, but it was flying high and had some sort of prey. It seemed to be looking for a spot to stop and consume the meal.

There were a couple of Midland Clubtails, but no Cobras yet.

Butterflies included Peck's Skippers.

Next day was the annual bird survey at Sydenham River Nature Reserve.  Counters were thin.  Seems interest has waned in this event, as it is difficult to get volunteers anymore.

I found the usual residents on my route, and nothing special.  Although a female Common Merganser on the river was a bit unusual.

Before leaving, I took a look for odonates and managed to find what I was looking for.  An Arrowhead Spiketail!

In the past we have had Rusty Snaketail here, but it has been several years since I have seen one.

It was early in the day and quite windy, so odes were sparse.

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Common Whitetail

Midland Clubtail

The ravines here are impressive.

Yesterday, I had the urge to head up to north Lambton.  Last Thursday evening, James Holdsworth found a White-faced Ibis at the Thedford Lagoons.  This species is good anywhere in Ontario, but it was a first record for Lambton.  Probably way overdue.

I did not really have the chance or ambition to try for it until yesterday.  I went quite early, and basically found it right away.  It was too distant under heavy clouded skies to attempt a photo.

That was my second new bird for Lambton County in less than a week!  One can go years without adding anything, but to get two in short order is satisfying.

I continued on and visited various places including a walk at Ausable River Cut CA.  I looked at mussels there and found the usuals, plus the rarer Wabash Pigtoe. 

Next stop was the Lambton Heritage Forest.  Acadian Flycatchers seem to be having a good year there, as I encountered eleven singing birds.

On the other hand, Hooded Warblers are less plentiful this year.  I noticed that at Skunk's Misery as well.  I wonder what is going on with them?

I did get two Cerulean Warblers to add to the list.

Some Hobomok Skippers were flying in the sunny spots.

I also came across another Cherry Scallop Shell Moth.  Very attractive!

(cell phone pic!)

Next stop was nearby Karner Blue Sanctuary. Insects were very scarce there it seemed.  

I did encounter a Blue-winged Warbler singing an almost perfect Northern Parula Song.  The Merlin app was registering it as a parula.  It took a long time to spot the bird, as I wanted to make sure! Yep, it was the Blue-winged!

I also walked the Sandrin Tract Woods trail nearby.  The "bowl" is almost dried up showing the lack of rain we have had in the last year.

A couple of duskywings there were Juvenal's.

Not many odes, even though this has been a hotspot.

Midland Clubtail

Four-spotted Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

One last stop was Reid C. L. before getting home.  Things not looking good there either for insects. Some Four-spotted Skimmers were flying.

Today, I knew that Dickcissels were around.  They obviously just arrived.  I went down to SW Chatham-Kent to a couple usual spots and had no problem finding some.

singing up a storm!

I am sure some will be arriving elsewhere including Lambton County soon, if not already.