Dorcas Copper Butterfly & Bruce Peninsula Roadtrip

Dorcas Copper Butterfly - Singing Sands Fen  Bruce Peninsula

Over the last few days, I spent some time in Owen Sound with my in-laws. The trip was not nature focused as there were 5 children ranging from ages 1-9. There were still a few nature highlights /  observations from the Bruce Peninsula area worth sharing.

1. Sauble Beach -
2. Waterfall Viewing -
3. Bruce Peninsula National Park (Boat Tour) -
4. Bruce Peninsula National Park (Singing Sands Fen) -
5. Macgregor Point Provincial Park - A brief visit on the way home.

1. Sauble Beach - Is a beautiful beach on Lake Huron just south of the Bruce Peninsula. We stopped here for a few hours as a main activity.  I actually went swimming in Lake Huron - which was surprisingly warm and comfortable.  I looked at the north end of the beach for the Piping Plover habitat and sadly, I was informed that the adults left early as the fledglings were all predated (eaten) by gulls and crows. From a botany perspective, I noticed Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem grasses as part of the dune plant makeup.

2. Waterfall Viewing -
Owen Sound has an abundance of Waterfalls to visit, but I tried to visit two: Jones Falls and Indian Falls. Both falls were "dry" leaving my relatives a little disapointed. I will post two photos here that are both disappointing but will leave this link to a photos of  Jones & Indian Falls by Harold Stiver.

3. Bruce Peninsula National Park (Boat Tour) -

The clear waters of Lake Huron and specifically the Georgian Bay are amazing to see. Photos can't do justice but I share a few for fun. Of course, Flowerpot Island with its two "flower pot" shaped rocks were pretty cool to see.

Flowerpot Island "Flower pot" rock formations. 

4. Bruce Peninsula National Park (Singing Sands Fen) -

I really wish I had more time to visit the Singing Sands Beach area. Blake and many other nature enthusiasts have really endorsed this location and it was my first time there, but sadly, I had about 20 minutes to explore it. I stayed on the Fen Boardwalk just at the west end of the parking lot. Amazingly, I found a life butterfly that was well reputed for being here: the Dorcas Copper butterfly. This butterfly lifer was exciting because I didn't think I would see it but ... it turned out that they were abundant. I must have seen 20 of them on the first 20 meters of the Fen Boardwalk. Late July is right in the middle of their flight time in Ontario according to the ROM butterfly field guide. I think I obtained really nice ventral photos of this beautiful butterfly, but my dorsal photos were lacking. Occasionally, I did get to see an amazing colour sheen on the (dorsal) male Dorcas Copper - its hard to describe but you could get a range of Blue - Purple - Pink in certain sunlight angles - amazing. Pitcher Plants were abundant here as well and are a lifer plant.

Dorcas Copper Butterfly - Singing Sands Fen  Bruce Peninsula

5. Macgregor Point Provincial Park - A brief visit on the way home.

Another park that I've never been to but is really well reputed is Macgregor Point Provincial Park on the shore of Lake Huron, just south of Port Elgin. I only spent an hour here on my way back to Windsor and I figured I would to to the visitor center, the beach, and the Huron Fringe Boardwalk. I wish I had more time to explore the park but even in my short visit, I see how so many other Ontario bloggers love this place. On the way out of the park, I noticed an orange butterfly that hinted at being a Fritillary species but I was unable to stop for it...

In conclusion, I had a pretty good trip with my family. I would have liked to have more time to explore some of the natural history aspects of the Bruce - but all things considered, I had some good sightings. One thing is for certain - with its crystal clear waters, 40+ orchid species, waterfalls and and mixture of forest, alvar and wetland habitat - the Bruce Peninsula is a special place!

Good Nature Viewing!
Dwayne

Birding in the Bruce (Penninsula that is...)

 I spent the last three days in the Bruce Penninsula, mainly in the Lion's Head area. We did alot of hiking on this trip, but to my astonishment, I hardly saw or heard any birds! During a Lions Head provincial reserve hike, I walked through beautiful forest for probably over an hour, and pretty well nothing!

On our second day, my family went to Tobermory, but on the way, we stopped by Cabot Head and hiked the Wingfield Basin (I figured it was so close, why not!). An immature Bald Eagle was drift very very high overhead.  But again, no birds?!?!? I was baffled! On the single lane road out of the park, I did see some birds while driving and stopped to take a look. I saw a little group of birds consisting of Red Eyed Vireo, Red Breasted Nuthatch, and a Black Capped Chickadee. A little further out, I saw a small Merlin on a wire. 

There was  Bird Studies Canada Sign and road that I would have liked to have visited, but it was chained off.

Hiking the Bruce Penninsula National Park in Tobermory... not a single bird seen or heard (again, possibly a Chickadee).

Our B&B in Lion's Head had several 5+ Northern Flickers. Hikes to Jones and Inglis Falls in Owen Sound basically had no noteworthy birds. (Crows and Starlings were easily seen).

I was hoping to add something to my life list on this trip. I was sure something would come up because, its just a different vegitation zone (not Carolinian).

So overall, I'm not complaining. :-) Mid August is slow on the ovarall for many places, in particular the habitat that I was traversing through. It was beautiful though, and I hope to kayak Lion's Head in the future!

Good Birding,
Dwayne