Recent Chat

 (needed to thnk of a catchy title!)

This past Wednesday, I decided to do some birding in Sarnia. Stopped by Wawanosh Wetland first thing. Not often I get there anymore, but when I first started birding, it was a place I went to often.

A good variety of birds there on this outing.  A lost Lesser Scaup was swimming in the main pond.

At one point I thought I heard a Blackpoll Warbler sing.  I did not think much of it (at this date?) and continued on.  Later, I came to the same spot and indeed a Blackpoll Warbler WAS singing!

This is exceptionally late at this date, and likely a record late spring date for Lambton by a longshot.  Latest I have ever seen a Blackpoll Warbler was at Rondeau Park June 22, 2003.  Needless to say it was (and still is) record late for spring.

I also walked around Dow Wetlands.  The Clay-colored Sparrows and Sedge Wrens were still present.  No doubt nesting.  None co-operated for the camera!

Highlight was a bunch of Baltimore Checkerspots.  This attractive butterfly always gets one's attention.

Before getting home, I stopped in Reid Conservation Lands to see how the hemp dogbane plants were coming along.  Just coming into bloom.  I had Northern Oak Hairstreak on my mind, as it was prime time for them to emerge.  None seen.

There were lots of Peck's Skippers.

At one point I saw a large dragonfly go to perch.  I thought it was a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer, but it turned out to be a Prince Baskettail.  They are quite similar in appearance.  Not often I seen a Prince.  This one had a bent abdomen.

Thursday was museum day.......

Friday I headed up to north Lambton just short of Grand Bend.  The Klondyke Sports Park is a good birding spot.  A few days ago, James Holdsworth came across a Yellow-breasted Chat.  Quite rare for Lambton!

This day was the first chance I had to go up that way (1.5h drive from Wallaceburg).  I had not yet come across a Chat for this year, despite trying at Rondeau.

Upon arrival, I could hear the bird singing, but it remained unseen.  They are famous for being elusive!  It took about an hour and a half before I caught a brief glimpse of it.  No chance for a photo!

Yellow-breasted Chat from the past (Point Pelee)

While up that way, I stopped in at other places.  One was the Sandrin Tract in the County forest.  As eluded to in a previous post, the "bowl" is almost dried up, so no good for dragonflies.  Several rarities have been seen here in the past though.

Here are a couple of butterflies:

Red-spotted Purple

Hackberry Emperor

Next stop was Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.  I walked the Cedar Trail which parallels the wetland.  It was flooded in spots, but luckily I had waterproof footwear on.

Here are some insects there:

Slaty Skimmer (male)

Slaty Skimmer (female)

Elegant Spreadwing

Racket-tailed Emerald

Hobomok Skipper

I headed towards home after this walk, but had one last stop in mind.  I am not satisfied each year until I see an Oak Hairstreak!  The Indian Hemp was in full bloom, attracting insects.  After almost an hour I was just about to leave, when something caught my eye.  A Northern Oak Hairstreak just popped in!

Hopefully they will have a better showing this year.  I only saw one in each of the last two years, and I was the only one to have seen one.

Today I toured in south Lambton just north of Wallaceburg.  Dickcissels in three locations, but still none co-operated for the camera.  I did get a crappy photo of one though.

I stopped by Reid before heading home, but it was fairly early in the day, and no hairstreaks.

This afternoon I went to Sarnia for a little celebration of Lambton Wildlife Inc. It all started sixty years ago!

Sarnia Skulkers

I spent today birding in Sarnia and area for a change.  With a half decent north wind forecast (ha, they were right!) I started at the lakewatch at the mouth of Lake Huron first thing.  It was a bust!  It was not a day for anything of note to be seen.  With climate change, we do not get as many good north winds there in the fall anymore and things have certainly changed over the years when we would get many good days at Lake Huron.
Dark clouds were to the east.  At one point a funnel cloud was trying to form.

After a couple of hours, I moved over to Canatara Park.  I spent most of the time in the meadow area where lots of sparrows and skulky warblers were flitting about.  It was certainly a day for Orange-crowned Warblers as I tallied at least a dozen there.  Lots of Nashville Warblers as well.  It was not a day for photos as the skies were gloomy and drizzly (just like last week!) and the birds were quickly moving.  I have to use some photos from the past here.

It was difficult to get an accurate number of the birds, but there were lots.  I had Nelson's Sparrow on my mind today.  At least one has been seen in the meadow in recent years.  I did not find one today though.

I then moved over to Wawanosh Wetlands.  There were some birds along the edges including several more Orange-crowned Warblers, Nashville, and other sparrows.  No Nelson's Sparrow here either, but I am sure some were around.

Next stop was Dow Wetlands, but on the way I found some shorebirds along Telfer Road including a Long-billed Dowitcher.

Right out of the gate, there were dozens of birds at Dow along the edges.  More Orange-crowned and Nashville with a few others mixed in.  Sparrows were the bird of the day, but once again they were quickly moving.  I could not get on 90% of them!
On top of the "hill" I stopped in my tracks when I spotted an Ammodramus sparrow.  A LeConte's!  I had solid looks and made sure it was not Nelson's or any other similar sparrow. Like the others, it disappeared into the weeds.
After putting out the alert, some Sarnia birders came along and we spent some time looking around.  Apparently, it was not spotted again.
The LeConte's was a new Lambton bird for me, probably long overdue!
It looked something like this:

I continued on my own and found some more birds at the north end in the treed area.  Included was a Scarlet Tanager, Tennesse Warbler, more Orange-crowned and Nashville etc.

Warbler of Tennesee

Here is my eBird list for Dow today:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S60343568

I came home via the river road and stopped by "Cath's Cart" (Cathcart) Park north of Sombra.  M.B. had reported some shorebirds on the flooded island (which is off limits this year as it flooded all summer).  Included were a couple of Long-billed Dowitchers.

The wrong kind of egret was on the breakwall.

One last stop at Reid CA was very quiet for birds.

Tomorrow, Nelson's Sparrow is on the radar!

Sarnia--Wawanosh Area

Recently I put up a photo of an old Lambton County map, particularly the Sarnia area.  On it was marked Lake Wawanosh which obviously no longer exists.  Back in the 1800's this area on the east end of present-day Sarnia, was a shallow lake and marshy area.  As was the practice back then, these types of areas were drained for farmland.  I do not know the approximate dates, but it was long ago.

I thought the whole thing was interesting, so I looked at Google Earth.  One can certainly roughly see where part of the old Lake Wawanosh existed.

Looking at the present-day image, one can imagine the north and west boundary of the old lake.  The old Grand Trunk Railway right-of-way made a good boundary as it curved to the south from the east. (The tracks once went straight to Point Edward along the lakeshore, but a line curved south to the Canadian National railway--the curve you see in the photo).

Along this area we have the present-day Blackwell Trails park, where ponds exist.  These are good birding and wildlife locations today.  The south pond at Blackwell Trails has some open water in the winter where waterfowl congregates.  Often we see Greater White-fronted Geese and Snow Geese here.

The larger north pond (locally known as Logan's Pond) was apparently an old quarry at one point.  We can find a good array of odes in the summer.  In particular, Comet Darner is found here.  It was just last summer that I finally saw one of these rare Ontario residents.

A couple of other ponds exist in the north part of the old lakeshore as well.

The main wildlife area within the old lake is Wawanosh Wetlands which we all know so well.  Two ponds exist here, and some forested area (mainly plantation type).  It was back in the early 1980's that this area was developed to a more natural state by Ducks Unlimited and other agencies.
More recently, the area was extended west to Modeland Road and named Suncor Way.

Wawanosh Wetlands is a popular spot for birdwatchers.  It was a location I often went to in my early birding years, especially for shorebirds.  In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the larger pond was prime for shorebirds.  Unfortunately, it is not anymore with the growth of phragmites and other vegetation.  I recall getting many life birds there!  I did not take photos in those early years, so I have nothing to share in that regard.

More recently,  rarities like Franklin's Gulls show up here.  Back in August 2015, local birders were delighted to see one.

The wooded areas have been good for migrant birds.  Lots of passerines  can be found moving through the trees.

The Sarnia airport is just east of Wawanosh Wetlands.  Obviously a good spot for such a place on an old shallow lake bed.  Here we can find Snowy Owls in the winter.
In past years, Buff-breasted Sandpipers were seen on the grounds.

Just something of interest I thought about this evening!

Stewart Snowy to Wawanosh Warblers

Today, September 9, I ventured up Sarnia way for a change in scenery.  First thing, I stopped by Stewart Wetland to see that the Snowy Egret was still present.  It was a gloomy day, most typical of weekends, so the photo is rather dark.  The egret sure looks small when it gets beside other larger birds!

I stopped by Wawanosh Wetlands, a birding hotspot in Sarnia.  In my early days of birding, I went here quite often, especially for shorebirds in the big pond.  Those days are long gone as there is too much phragmites and other growth, and higher water.  However, it is good for migrants in the woody areas, and today was no exception.

There were lots of warblers, vireos and flycatchers difficult to see under gloomy skies.  I saw at least 14 species of warblers.

Bay-breasted Warbler

Several Wilson's were flitting about, never staying still......

There were  a few of my favourite vireo, the Philadelphia.

After 1.5h there, I headed over to Perch Creek.  It was basically dead!  Not a single warbler.  I guess the fact that Wawanosh is closer to the lake may have been a factor in seeing more birds there.

I stopped by Peers Wetland on the way home.  It was somewhat quiet, but better days are ahead.

Black-throated Green Warbler

Great Egret

Each place had Purple Finches.  They seem to be everywhere right now, so perhaps a sign of things to come.

Weekend-North and South

Saturday morning I headed to north Lambton County.  The weather was not too desirable for being out, but at least we got some much-needed rain.
I first stopped at Wawanosh Wetlands at the east end of Sarnia.  Some shorebirds were near the parking lot.

Wawanosh used to be a premier spot for shorebirds until the phragmites took over. It could be again if only we could remove the phrag!

SBD

I checked a bit of Howard Watson Trail as well.  Recently, some Comet Darners were just west of Modeland Road, but I did not see any.  Not the greatest weather (Oh, it is the weekend!).  They are rare in Ontario and can frequent borrow pits.  The ones at Sarnia were along an old quarry at Blackwell Trails.

I then headed up to Port Franks. I walked the County Forest.  It was rather quiet, but I did come across a lingering Hooded Warbler.  As well, an Acadian Flycatcher made an appearance.  It was too dark for trying to photograph anything in the woods.

Rough Blazing Star

On the way home, I stopped at Nicholl's Memorial Forest near Wilkesport.  Lots of butterflies were out while we had some sun.

Common Wood-Nymph

Eastern Tailed-Blue

The planting area is always nice to walk through.  Spiked Blazing Star was past its prime.  Lots of Ironweed was out among some other plants.

Culver's Root

Sunday I decided to go to Point Pelee.  Things were quiet at the Tip first thing, but soon picked up.  Nothing too noteworthy.  A Common Loon was noted flying south at one point in the distance.

I checked out Sparrow Field and quite a few birds were milling about.  Mostly Yellow Warblers, but I did see a Nashville among them.

I walked back west beach trail hoping for some butterflies.  Not too many were around.....again!
I saw my second-only Common Buckeye of the year.

Lots of Wandering Gliders were flying about.

After a quick lunch, I stopped at Wheatley.  The lake was very calm and littered with gulls and terns.  Well over 1000 were there.  Of note was was an all-white large gull.  It looked a bit larger than Herring, but I hesitated in calling it a Glaucous due to the distance and heat haze.

It is in the centre!

It was quite impressive to see so many gulls.

Feeding Frenzy