Catching Up

Over the last month or two - I've been working on a home renovation project (basement project video 1, 2 ) - which has prevented me from doing more natural history exploration. Work and coaching obligations have piled up as well but even still - I have had some interesting highlights:

Little Yellow Butterfly - at McGeechy Pond near Erieau Ontario.
















King Rail - new life bird. I have read about this endangered bird on so many occasions over the last ten years of birding - so to finally cross paths with one was very special.  This photo below shows a juvenile bird. I left the area soon after seeing this bird so as to not disturb it. What a special part of our great lakes wetland ecosystem habitat and natural history. Hopefully more wetlands can be restored and give this species a chance at not becoming extirpated or worse - extinct.

Bottle Gentian - Seen while walking though Ojibway Tallgrass Prairie (provincial reserve). I looked for Fringed Gentian this year but did not find a single specimen.

Great Plains Ladies Tresses - Great story here - I had posted a photo of this species to Inaturalist a few years ago, and I had assumed I was photographing the more common nodding laddies tresses. I was informed that the great plains tresses species has a nice vanilla smell - and with this sighting - I was able to make note of the scent.

Backyard Warblers - Occasionally over the last month, I have been in my back yard and noted warblers (Palm and Nashville) in the hedgerow behind my back yard fence.

Swamp White Oak - I was at a playground on Windsor's east end with my kids and we walked through a short pathway that dissected a tiny forested area. One Oak tree had its branches hanging over the pathway and I plucked a leaf from the branch - I was interested in identifying the leaf by using I naturalist.


 

Black throated Green Warbler - Side on a sidewalk - most definitely caused by a window strike.

Two interesting articles / videos:

• Conservative Government in Ontario reduces environmental restrictions for gravel mines:   https://ontarionature.org/pits-and-quarries
• Youtube video: 10 reasons why birding is awesome   https://youtu.be/4QsDG_JyVXA 

Good Birding, Botanizing and Naturing
Dwayne



Life List Update
 Western Screech Owl 453 (AZ)
 Scaled Quail 454  (AZ)
 Graces Warbler 455  (AZ)
 Painted Redstart 456  (AZ)
 Yellow Eyed Junco 457  (AZ)
 Blue throated Hummingbird 458 (AZ)
 Elegant Trogon 459 (AZ)
 King Rail 460

Little Yellow at Point Pelee v2

Even though I was a little sick over the last day or two... I drove out to Point Pelee to try and enjoy a little fall migration. My son Matthew came with me, which means I spent a little more time on the beach (getting my toes wet in the surf) and in the visitor center (while my son colours and interacts with the exhibits).

We walked the northwest beach footpath which is sometimes good for butterfly watching. Some butterflies seen include: Common Buckeyes, Giant Swallowtail, Monarchs, Painted Lady, Viceroy, as well as the ever present whites and sulphurs.

Later, we took the "Train" to the tip and headed straight to sparrow field. There were some flycatchers and warblers to be seen, but I was getting poor views of these avian beasts. Summer Azures, Eastern Tailed Blues were seen in Sparrow field as well as boatloads of whites.

My son and I left Sparrow Field and took a little known footpath to west beach, near the "Serengeti Tree". Lots of birds were along the edge of the water but were uncooperative. Perhaps the Sharp-shinned hawk that was around had them hiding even more than normal.

Word had been circulating that a few Little Yellow butterflies had been seen lately (in Sparrow Field), and I was hoping to see one today. As my son and I approached the tip parking lot along the west beach trail, a small yellow butterfly caught my eye. My son noticed and started chasing this little lepidopteric jem as it cruised along the edge of the road. After waiting a minute or two to land, I snapped a few diagnostic photos. I haven't been butterfly watching too long, but my guess is that there are just a handful of Butterfly watchers in the province that get a chance to see a Little Yellow!

Its always fun to discover a new butterfly, but finding one of the "White and Sulphurs" species is particularly fun because Cabbage Whites, and Clouded and Orange Sulphurs are so abundant.  This year I saw a "Great Southern White"[link] in Florida as well as a "Mustard White" [link] in Michigan. I had a Beckers White [link] and a Pink edged Sulphur in Oregon this summer as well. We can't forget about the Dainty Sulphur [link] that erupted into Ontario in 2012.  This Little Yellow was not a lifer - I saw one last summer [link] at Point Pelee.  Regarding Monarchs - I probably saw 20 or so Monarch Butterflies today.

On the way out of the park, I stopped at White Pine to perhaps do a quick walk at Cactus Field. I happened to run into my friend Rick who was eyeing a Yellow billed Cuckoo. I think its been a while since I've seen one so it was a nice find. Its always great to run into a friend whilst birding!

Happy World Shorebird Day by the way! 

Good birding,

Dwaynejava

Question - Does anyone know the latin name for Little Yellow? Is it Pyrisitia lisa or Eurema lisa ???

Duke's Skipper and an unlikely Little Sulphur (Eurema lisa) -v2

Dukes Skipper on Chicory

I stopped by Brunet Park in LaSalle this morning, and to my amazement, photographed a skipper species that I had never seen, but recognized. This skipper had a long streak (or ray) on the underside of its hindwing that hinted of Duke's Skipper. Duke's Skipper and Dion's are quite similar, but the forest-edge habitat that Dukes frequents hinted that I had a pretty rare butterfly on my hands! Thankfully, I emailed the experts to get confirmation. Alan Wormington and Blake Mann confirmed the identification for me. 

More on Dukes Skippers:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euphyes-dukesi

http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/abstracts/zoology/Euphyes_dukesi.pdf

Another rarity (in my opinion anyway) was a "Little Yellow" I saw at Point Pelee yesterday. I saw it for just 5 seconds... I obtained this crappy but diagnostic photo.  Very cool! Just to get a sense of how rare these two are, neither of them were on the Ojibway Butterfly Count tally results [Link]... So pretty rare butterflies! 

I've never seen a Little Yellow in Canada. I had seen some along the road during my last trip to Florida, but was unable to get out and really look at them (I was stopped at an intersection). 

Hickory Hairstreak - Another Brunet Park Gem

Back to some more common butterflies...

Good butterfly watching!
Dwayne