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

Some Migration Highlights & a Failed Pointe Mouillee Trip

I've been busy with work, night school and the kids' swimming lessons ... I should really be in 'hiatus' mode, but I still have tried to find time to get some birding in - even its just close to home in Windsor. I've seen some surprisingly nice flocks of birds during my Ojibway walks - one highlight being a Blue winged Warbler - maybe one of my first of this species outside of Point Pelee and first "southbound" Blue winged that I recall seeing.  Other nice birds at Ojibway included nice looks at a Yellow billed Cuckoo, Tufted Titmouse - A local specialty - as well as some wild flowers - Great Lobelia & Nodding Ladies Tresses (or Great Plains Tresses?). Special thanks to Allen Woodliffe's blog for help on ID'ing the flowers.

 

I've also tried going to Holiday Beach in Amherstburg to join in the Hawk-festival festivities and just doing some birding around there. In September, the warblers and paserines at Holiday Beach are excellent...just as good or maybe better than what I see when I go to Point Pelee. Last weekend, a little walk along the beach gave looks at tonnes of passerines. I think they banded 150 warblers/thrushes/vireos and flycatchers. I had looks at Great crested Flycatchers, Wilson's Warblers, Magnolia, Black throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black and White, Blackpoll Warblers, not to mention great looks at Raptors flying overhead.

I attempted to go to Pointe Mouillee for some shorebirding last weekend, but after packing my van up with my bike... I realized that they close Pointe Mouillee in the peak of shorebird migration... Life can be so cruel some times. Its closed to anyone but hunters - but I was thinking, could you not go into the location and just not shot birds? Could you go hunting but bring a scope instead of a rifle?

Since I had a Pointe Mouillee trip failure - I figured I would post some shorebirding I did last year at this time, but never got around to posting. I had kayaked the Point Pelee Marsh and found a small muddy island peninsula that I just grounded my kayak onto. A few shorebirds were around, notably a Pectoral, Short billed Dowitcher and a White rumped Sandpiper! I have had bad luck with White rumped Sandpipers. I'm quite certain this is one - an adult too-  I think!
 

After work today, I was lucky enough to witness a major Broad-winged Hawk Migration today at Holiday Beach.  Thousands of them kettled and streamed by along with a great diversity of other raptors. More on that in my next posting!

Good birding!
Dwaynejava