Nerdy for Birdy

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Birding & Nature Highlights from 2024 - Year in Review

Looking back at this year was somewhat lack-luster ---- both with my birding attempts at Pelee and in my own backyard. I did travel a little this year, visiting Miami Florida, New Brunswick and Belleville Ontario.

I did get a chance to see two different Olive sided Flycatchers in the hedgerow behind my house. A top highlight at Pelee was finding Praire Warbler on two separate occasions in May this year. In April - (April 19th) -, I had a surprisingly early Great Crested Flycatcher (link).

April 18th 2024 - Great Crested Flycatcher

Seeing a Southern Dogface butterfly at Point Pelee this summer was pretty amazing. I had seen them in the southern US before but did not fully come to appreciate their field marks. Another butterfly highlight from this year was seeing a Fiery Skipper in my yard, and a few more in the hedgerow behind my house. Seeing many Zabulon Skippers around the Ojibway Park complex was really neat as well. A single Horace's Duskywing was a nice find as well. Finally - I almost forgot about a chance sighting of some European Blue butterflies seen in downtown Toronto this summer as well.

Botany wise - I did not have too many highlights. One thought that comes to mind was finding a mid-May Orchid species that I am not aware of being seen previously - a Shining Ladies Tresses Orchid at Ojibway park. To my knowledge - this species has not been identified at Ojibway - so my sighting might be a first!(* after checking Inat - yes, another was seen outside the park ).

Astronomy was pretty exciting for me this year with some great / rare sightings which included a Solar Eclipse, Northern Lights, and three comets.

So - each year brings with it an interesting mix of chance sightings. I still really enjoy birding and naturalizing. I enjoy blogging and reading many of the great blogs in the blog-o-sphere. Its boxing day as I write this so wishing you all belated Christmas Greetings, belated Winter Solstice greetings, and Wishing you all a great new year for 2025.

Yours in Nature,
Dwayne

Monday, October 14, 2024

Finding Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

In the Astronomy world --- there has been great anticipation to see Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (Would it be pronounced Shoe-Shin-Shan? ) . It was supposed to be (and perhaps "is") a naked-eye comet. But --- this might assume you have 20-20 vision and clouldless, dark skies (no light pollution). I was hoping to see it for the last two-three days as it has become visible in the northern hemisphere since Saturday --- but of course --- cloudy skies! Tonight - ((Canadian) Thanksgiving night ) I was finally able to see it after patiently waiting for cloulds to recede along the western horizon to give me brief but diagnostic views of this Oort cloud ice-ball.

I attempted to view this from somewhere in Windsor that would afford me a view of the Western Horizon. I went to the top of the Malden Park hill in Windsor - which gives me a view of the western horizon. Sadly, lots of Detroit industry pollutes the views of the skyline but I guess this is the price we have to pay for industry, capitalism and local steel production.

It would be nice to see this from Point Pelee Drive (or the tip / west beach of Point Pelee) this week. Looking west at the horizon just after sunset should afford stunning views of this comet!

If you care to find this - I would recommend simply looking at the western horizon after the sun sets. (probably this week Oct 14th to 18th). If you take a photo of the horizon with a wide angle camera - you might find it better by looking at an image --- as your camera may see it better than your eyes can see it. Also - if you see a yellow-ish star above the horizon (Arcturus)--- it may be just below it and to the right (see my stellarium-web photo below).

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Southern Dogface Butterfly Visits Southwestern Ontario

This last week of early to mid September had a chance sighting of a southern butterfly species called a Southern Dogface butterfly. I had seen this butterfly in the past (as I have been to Texas as well as several other states in the southern US) --- but only this week did I come to realize this butterfly's namesake and most interesting field mark!

I had always assumed the field mark was a sharp pointed forwing! But it turns out - this butterfly has its upper forwing as completely black for the outer 1/3 of its wing. This black outline makes the silouette of a dog, complete with a black spot for its eyes. Compare this outline with Orange Sulphur or Clouded Sulphur. In flight, its make a distinct black-yellow display as the butterfly flaps its wings.

As luck would have it - I had seen a Grey Hairstreak as well --- just north of the NW beach parking lot. This area was a little more shady (literally) and perhaps my camera's exposure had been set 1-2 stops too dark. It was an exciting find as I had not seen a hairstreak for a good 1-2 months. I was at Pelee after work on Friday Sept 13th - and met a Toronto area butterfly enthusiast who I was able to point this out to.

A few Fiery Skippers were around as well. I captured this photo below with my cell phone. Its a first of year sighting of this particular species.

Good butterfly watching!

Dwayne

Final Images: Great Plains Ladies Tresses Orchid --- At the Ojibway tallgrass preserve + Fringed Gentian. Both are extraordinarily late bloomers...

Monday, August 26, 2024

Olive Sided Flycatcher, Comet 13P/Olbers July 2024 and Stuff

Olive Sided Flycatcher @ South Cameron Woodlot in Windsor ON

I have been trying to "birdwatch" in my backyard for the last few days --- and its been really good! For late August and the whole month of September - I have come to find that there are usually a few warblers in my back hedgerow behind my house. My yard list is growing! This gorgeous Olive sided Flycatcher caught my interest, mid-afternoon, when it was flycatching off a dying White Oak behind my house. It was an unmistakable ID. It was neat to see it catch bugs and then eat them while I was sitting on my back porch.

Edit: This bug might be the famous "Giant Ichneumon Wasp" (long ovipositor)

Some neat birds seen over the last 3 days:

Monday Aug 26th: Bobolink (new bird to yard list), Olive Sided Flycather. Least Flycatcher

Sunday Aug 25th: Tennessee & Nashville Warblers, Least Flycatcher, Ruby throated Hummingbird

Saturday Aug 24th: Cape May Warbler, Warbling Vireos, Least Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole

Female Bobolink - a new yard bird!

Nashville Warbler

Cape May Warbler

A while back, I had made a few attempts to photograph Comet 13P/Olbers. Using star-mapping software --- I was able to find it. You start by finding brighter nearby stars, then star-hop until you get an exposure of the comet. This photo has the comet in the center of the frame but only appears as a tiny fuzzy blur.

Some Neat butterflies that I had seen this summer - Zabulon Skipper and Horrace's Duskywing were seen which was really nice. These photos below are not about a month old. It was neat to see two broods for Zabulon Skippers.

Zabulon Skipper

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on Dense Blazingstar

Horraces' Duskywing - Seen at the Ojibway Tallgrass Prairie

Good Birding & Butterfly Watching!