Rondeau Afternoon

This past Monday I went down to the Rondeau area for a few hours in the afternoon. I didn't really have any targets in mind, and I just figured I'd see what I'd see!

I made a quick stop into Keith McLean Conservation area. I had visions of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, but it was quickly found it was not to be. Oh well.

There were a few birds of note around, including two rail species, Sora and Virginia Rail. Both flushed from the side of the marsh as I approached. Not often one gets to see rails! Lots of ducks were present, but the only shorebirds were Killdeer and a Spotted Sandpiper.

Green-winged Teal

Other than birds, there were a number of other things. Carp were quite (unfortunately) numerous in the wetland.

Lots of frogs and toads. I heard Leopard Frogs and a Western Chorus Frog, but no photos of those.

American Toad

A big ol' Snapping Turtle was laying on the bank.

Saw my first American Lady butterfly of the year.

Afterwards, we moved into the park. There was a number of wildflowers right beside the road.

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

As well a cousin of the American Lady, the Red Admiral. Red Admirals have really started to arrive back in Ontario in about the last week.

I made the obligatory drive up Lakeshore road to look for the returning White-winged Dove, which has come back for its fifth year. Some may know that bird and I have quite the "history", as it took me four year and numerous attempts to finally see him. Of course, when I went on Monday he was just sitting out in the open on top of the cottage owner's car.

The dove has had this strange ritual, since 2016, I believe, he had attempted to build "nests" on top of the car. Of course, cars move, so he must restart constantly, but he is very persistent! On this day, he was flying back and forth regularly with sticks to add to his collection.

It took me almost five years, but I finally got some photos I am happy with!

There were numerous sparrows feeding along the roads, mostly Chipping Sparrows with a few Field Sparrows mixed in.

Chipping Sparrow

Field Sparrow

After Lakeshore, we went down to Dog Beach. There were a couple plants of interest.

Torrey's Rush (Juncus torreyi)

Cyprus Spruge (Euphorbia cyparissias)

Also my first Caspian Terns of the year.

Finally, I stopped in for a quick walk of Tulip Tree Trail. Not much birdwise, save for a few Yellow-rumped Warblers and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, but there were other things to look at!

Black Sooty Mold (Scorias spongiosa)

Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

A number of mosses were present along the trail.

Common Haircap Moss (Polytrichum commune)

Brocade Moss (Hypnum imponens)

Goose Egg Moss (Arrhenopterum heterostichum)

All in all, quite the fun afternoon! I can't wait to get back, as spring has just begun!

Down to Rondeau

On Saturday, I headed down to Rondeau for the afternoon.

I will just get it over with now...I didn't see the White-winged Dove. I'm really am starting to dislike that bird.....We've spent hundreds of dollars trying to find it!!!!

Along Talbot Trail I found a Dickcissel, but I didn't get any photos. Number 221 on the Weekend Big Year.

As soon as entering the park, we came across a pair of White-tailed Deer.

There was an Eastern Foxsnake at the Dog Beach. Other snakes seen in the park include Garter and an Eastern Ribbonsnake. This is only the second foxsnake I've ever seen. The first was a small one that bit me in 2015 when I tried to pick it up.

I checked out Tulip Tree Trail (TTT), which is where I found my first Prothonotary Warblers for Chatham-Kent. Two males and a female.

There a few White-breasted Nuthatches hanging out on the first little bit of Harrison. They were doing some mating ritual that I've never seen before. It was kind of cool.

There were many odes hanging around including a few species of darners, saddlebags, bluets, skimmers, and spreadwings.

Emerald Spreadwing

I saw a few butterflies as well, including my first Giant Swallowtail of the year.

Little Wood-Satyr

Red Admiral

Six-spotted Tiger Beetles are more or less common in Rondeau.

This White-tailed Deer didn't appear distressed by our presence on TTT.

There was a pair of Blue-tailed Skinks, Ontario's only lizard, on TTT as well. Quite fast and skittish. Every time I thought I had lost them, they would pop up somewhere else. This went on for awhile, but I was able to get some photos.

Tulip Tree Trail is aptly named.

There were few birds in the park, and most of the ones I did find were by voice only.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

I left the park after about four and a half hours and went to Blenheim Sewage Lagoons.

Birdsfoot Trefoil has really come up in the last few days.

Red-winged Blackbirds were very territorial. I was dive-bombed at one point. While the birds will rarely strike you, it can be a bit of a terrifying experience to have a screeching mass of feathers and claws descend upon you.

This juvenile wasn't trying to attack me

Killdeer was the most common shorebird, with over thirty seen. Spotted Sandpipers were the only other species of shorebird.

Plenty of Painted Turtles, and one Common Snapping Turtle, were seen.

There were hundreds of bluets (Familiar?). Some Eastern Forktails as well.

Black Saddlebags were common, as were Common Green Darners.

CGD

Best dragonfly was a Halloween Pennant, my first for the year.

Not as many butterflies as I expected, but I did find a couple, including lifer Bronze Copper.

Bronze Copper

Black Swallowtail

As for birds, it wasn't overly exciting, but I did have a couple decent finds. Greater Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks were continuing birds.

Ring-necked Duck

Ruddy Duck (L) and Greater Scaup (R)

Other ducks such as Wood Duck, Mallard, and Ruddy Ducks were found.

Mallards and Wood Duck (Bottom R)

There was also an American Coot and a Pied-billed Grebe.

American Coot

Savannah Sparrows were very common and some were nesting.

Another grassland nesting species was Eastern Meadowlark. There were a few adults and one fairly young one, which was still quite orange overall.

Erieau was last. I was hoping to find a rare gull or two, but it was not to be.

There were a few terns, both Common and Forester's.

This Common Grackle managed to get a fish that a Ring-billed Gull dropped.

Eastern Kingbirds are known to be VERY territorial....

Flashback to Last Summer...

This is the first time I witnessed one take on a gull.

It was a pretty good day. I'll be spending the next few days up in Orillia with my class, so hopefully I'll come back with a few stories that are worth sharing!

Also, this is my 100th post on the blog!