Some Local Stuff

For obvious reasons, I haven't gone too far. But I have gotten out a couple times just around the neighborhood. There is still a noticeable lack of migrants, but hopefully things will pick up!

Last Sunday, it was quite nice, so I went out for a brief walk. I was pleased to find Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica), a native spring wildflower, new for my neighborhood plant list (425 species and growing!).

I was also very happy to stumble across a fox den, with five kits.

With a shrew (Sorex sp)

A couple days later, I went out and found some more plants.

Goblet Moss (Physcomitrium pyriforme)

Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Family Bryceae (tentatively thinking Ptyschostomum)

Bonfire Moss (Funaria hygrometrica)

Yesterday, I went out hoping for some new birds. It was pretty quiet, but I did come across a few things. One highlight was a Lesser Scaup, a new bird for my neighborhood list (#171).

I came across a banded Canada Goose. I managed to get the band number and reported it.

There was a goose on a nest as well. The beavers have once again done a good job at damming up the place. There used to be a grassy field where this bird was nesting!

My efforts of a Virginia Rail finally paid off (I tried in five different spots today!). This is my second record for the neighborhood, and the first visual. I wasn't toting around my big lens today, so he came in quite close!

Stay safe out there, hopefully there are local areas for you to explore!

Algonquin Adventures

This past weekend, my family made the trip up to Algonquin Provincial Park for a weekend of exploring one of my favourite places. Due to the recent weather, bird life was at a minimum, but I still managed to find over 45 species, which is decent given the time of year.

We drove up on Friday, so Saturday morning I awoke in Dwight at the hotel (Mom doesn't like it when there is no running water readily available!) I did a little bit of birding around the property, and I came up with a decent list.

Rusty Blackbird

Once in the park, we stopped by the Old Railway Bed first. We didn't bother to walk very far as there were just too many people using the trail!

There was a tame Common Raven near the parking lot (if you can call it that!) One would wonder if it is the same bird as the one hanging around the Art Centre in July.

There was also a tame Red Fox along the road. Apparently he is over 12 years old!

The ONLY Gray Jay of the weekend was seen along the road near the fox. It was the only Algonquin speciality I saw all weekend. Quite ironic actually, as last fall it was the only one I DIDN'T see!

We stopped by the Visitor Centre after the railway bed. It was packed! The line for the restroom was out the front door, there was a 30 minute wait time for the restaurant, and the observation deck was shoulder to shoulder if you even wanted to attempt to look off of it. It certainly was not fun!

The only good things reported in the sightings log was a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker seen by Blake, and a Red Squirrel seen at someone's campsite.

Birds were far and few between at the VC, but I did see a late Eastern Phoebe and some Pine Siskins.

Beaver Pond Trail was perhaps the most eventful trail walked.

Although it started out slow, it wasn't long until birds starting popping up, including Red-breasted Nuthatches and my first Rusty Blackbirds for the park.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Pipits covered the exposed mud, and I counted over 50.

A single Green-winged Teal caused some confusion, but I was eventually able to ID it from photos.

Crossbills weren't as plentiful as I thought they would be, but they were present. There was a pair of Red Crossbills that allowed for close study. White-winged Crossbills flew over at one point as well.

Red Crossbill

Later in the evening, I went to the Old Airfield. It was quite quiet except for an American Woodcock.

Wolf Track

I birded the hotel property again the next morning. I found a few more species than the previous day.

Palm Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Driving in the park to our next location, there was a Great Blue Heron on a rock in Lake of Two Rivers. It was quite a spectacular sight.

Opeongo Road was more or less disappointing. I hiked back into a spruce bog along the road hoping for a Spruce Grouse, but one never materialized. I did however find a trio of late Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. They were the only birds here that would pose for a photo!

After Opeongo, we visited the Spruce Bog trail. Red-breasted Nuthatches were common.

I gave up on finding grouse, and decided to focus on finding sparrows in the grass. I walked to the edge of the open bog, and then started slowly making my way through the grass, stopping to pish every so often. Swamp Sparrows responded immediately.

I heard some insect-like chips, and my mind instantly went to Le Conte's Sparrow. So for about 15 minutes I stood shin deep in water and mud, pishing and wading through the grass hoping to flush something. That I did...a grasshopper!

I guess I must have disturbed this Great Blue Heron.

After Spruce Bog, it was time to head home, but not before spotted my only Common Loon of the weekend!

It is always a thrill and an adventure to visit Algonquin. I hopefully will be back soon!

In, On, and Around Lake Huron

In...

You didn't think that I'd live up to this title...

Today we took a trip out to visit Kettle Point. It was the kind of day where your ears came in more handy than your binoculars or camera, so there aren't too many photos.

Driving in, I saw a Vesper Sparrow. In the marshes, many different birds could be found, including Marsh Wren, American Redstart, Mute Swan, and Alder Flycatcher.

This Red Fox was content to hang out near the road.

Speaking of red things, there were a couple Northern Cardinals around.

We went out on my uncle's boat...not to much out in the water but a few Mallards.

I checked out the dunes along the public beaches...a few swallowtails (Black and Eastern Tiger), and what I assume to be a skipper of some sort.

To finish off the day, I quickly checked into Ipperwash Dunes and Swales to look for butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies.

This appears to be a Racket-tailed Emerald (thanks Blake!).

This is still unidentified. I think that it is a spreadwing of sorts, but I am unsure of what species. What really stands out is that the end of the abdomen (S8, S9, S10) are unmarked. Usually if a damselfly is of the "Black Type" (the abdomen is mostly black) it will have blue markings near the tip of it's tail. If anyone has a suggestion of what it may be, please comment! If it helps, the underside of the abdomen appears to also be blue. (EDIT: This is an Aurora Damsel...thanks Chris) 

Northern Crescents are fairly easy to find.

These are Juvenal's Duskywings. I was hoping that maybe it was a Sleepy, but alas it was not to be. I'll have to come back out this way and check out some other spots for them.

Final dragonfly of the day was Common Baskettail. There were at least half a dozen in one little area. Fairly easy to capture in the net, but I had to take a few swings before I caught one.

If this is just the beginning of the Ode and Lep season, then we are in for a treat this year!