Early January (mostly) birding

 Certainly one of the most sought after local birds over the last couple of weeks is the Harris's Sparrow. It is a species that shows up quite irregularly in this area, so as this one has been predictably popular, there have been many dozens of birders out to see it. On one occasion there were so many vehicles lined up, it was hard for local travelers to pass through.

It hasn't always been easy to photograph. On my first attempt, it was a sunny day, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the bird was almost always along the fence row at the side of the road, and behind grasses that were in a constant state of movement due to the wind. Therefore the camera's focus as well as the backlit conditions made it almost impossible, and this next photo was the best I could get.

Fortunately on another day, it was cloudy bright, and the sparrow sat up on a rail for long enough to get the first couple of unobstructed photos.

It was accompanied by a good mix of other winter time sparrows, including White-crowned Sparrows and others.

Before it got too snowy and cold, I managed to capture a few other things, such as one of four American Robins I saw on an outing at Rondeau....

....the Barred Owl at a nearby conservation area, which has been there for several weeks but roosts unpredictably and is often not found by the searchers.....

...from 1-6 Killdeer hanging out at a small unfrozen area at the Keith McLean Conservation Lands....

....a few Sandhill Cranes...

....and a Snow Goose. All nice things to add for the season.

As is usual for the time of year, in spite of the colder than average temperatures, a bit of the water in the Erieau vicinity remains open. Lingering waterfowl continue to hang out, at least for now. At first the birds are well out in the open water, as they are undoubtedly still cautious in being too close to human activity due to the continuing waterfowl hunting season. This first photo shows a mix of typical ducks, including Ring-necks, Scaup sp, Redhead and a good number of American Coot, the latter of which technically is not a duck.

Mostly American Coot

As the cold continues, waterfowl are forced to be closer to shore, much to the delight of viewers and photographers.

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Greater Scaup

Certainly one of the primary ducks to look for in the Erieau area in the last week or so has been not one, but three Harlequin Ducks. Finding them is no easy task, as they are often across the channel and sometimes tucked in with the rocks out of view. These three are females, so not nearly as colourful as the males, but still a great species to find and photograph. I had been out looking on a couple of different occasions, including one time when there were hunters set up across the channel amongst the rocks, and the only 'ducks' I could see were decoys. The other real ducks were widely scattered and the Harlequins were not visible. However on my most recent attempt, I managed to see all three close together where the marina joins the main channel.

Among other species were Redhead....

...and Ruddy Ducks.

While out looking for Short-eared Owls, I found one or two, but was not able to get a photo. But I did manage to get a distant photo of this Rough-legged Hawk busily hunting in the same area....

....and some Wild Turkeys were feeding in a field near the Ridge Landfill. Backlit a bit, but salvageable.

I will finish up with some odds and ends. For anyone who is a regular hiker at Rondeau, you will notice that the Tulip Tree Trail has been partially closed for several weeks. The park staff have been busy making some much needed repairs in some sections. But now as one approaches the trail, parts of it look like this:

And a closer look:

For anyone interested, the American Birding Association has selected what species will be its 'Bird of the Year.' It is the Common Loon, a species well-known to Canadians!

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Celebrating Christmas in Nature

Tis the season when Christmas is, or has been, celebrated by many. One of the ways I try and celebrate the Christmas season is to go out and wander around God’s creation, knowing He is with me. Anytime of the year, it can be so captivating and inspirational. Perhaps the renowned naturalist John Muir said it so well “In every walk in nature, one receives far more than one seeks.” I know I certainly do, and if I get a few photos to enjoy and share, so much the better. 

I have had a life-long connection to Rondeau as many will know, for which I am extremely grateful. Here is a handful of my favourite photos. This first one is from when I was giving an aerial tour to some former co-workers back in 1989.

The beach and first stages of vegetation development are easily enjoyed from along the east side.
 

September

January

 

 

Patterns in the sand are often seen, showing some interesting designs.

Just inland from the beach dunes is the beginning of the pine-oak savanna. This next photo was not take with a drone, but I climbed the lighthouse tower and got this back in about 1981. This was before the fenced tower base was well marked with No Trespassing signs.

 

 This next photo is of the relatively newly claimed oak savanna just east of the campground. Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, this area was regularly mowed as it was a picnic area. Since it wasn't being used all that much, and there was a need to save $$ from the regular mowing, it was allowed to be restored to something fairly natural. It has even been burned on several occasions.

 

Next is a different area featuring oak savanna, with Butterfly Milkweed one of the highlights. This area is immediately south of the campground, although it has not been burned all that regularly so it is a little more shrubby.

Heading a bit more inland, one quickly comes to the main part of the park's hardwood forest. The Tulip Tree Trail is a great spot to explore this. The first photo shows Marie, hugging one of the trio of Tulip Trees along the trail. I was initially just getting a photo of her beside the trees, to give it some scale, when on her own she decided to give one of them a hug. I'm so glad I captured this moment!

Here she is on a different occasion, walking along another section of that trail.

There are numerous things to see along this trail or in the general area. First off is one of the most endangered orchids in Canada, the Nodding Pogonia, which currently is known in Canada only from Rondeau. Sometimes one can find a single plant with three open flowers all at the same time......

...but a single flower is more the norm.

Something that is visible only for a few days in spring, is the developing leaves of Shagbark Hickory, which people often think of as the tree's flowers. They are every bit as photogenic as flowers, but are developing leaves.

Birds of course are found throughout, especially during migration or the nesting season. Male Scarlet Tanagers are always a crowd pleaser...

... and there are a few pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers. I had aimed my camera at the nest cavity, hoping to get a photo of one of the adults going in, when all of a sudden the other adult came swooping out and appeared to be diving right at me. It wasn't but I was quite pleased with being ready for this shot.

There are a few Michigan Lilies growing in this section of the forest, and here I captured an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail sipping some nectar.

Fungi are just as important as so many other elements of the forest, and here is a vivid example of one known as Chicken of the Woods.

Throughout the forest are long stretches of wetland forest known as sloughs. Their appearance can vary considerably. This first one shows a slough along Bennett Ave in May, when it has a fair amount of water and a lush green background.

This next one was taken from the exact same place, although it was on a misty day in November when the slough was dry and there were no leaves on anything, other than the ground.

This next photo is a fairly typical slough....

...and sometimes you can see an American Mink out looking for something.....

...or a Prothonotary Warbler looking for aquatic insects to feed on.

Prothonotary Warblers were first found nesting in Canada at Rondeau back in 1929. Rondeau has been considered the stronghold for the species ever since, although their Ontario range has expanded a fair bit.

Silver Maples thrive in sloughs. On occasion when one topples over, and its roots are still connected to the water, a new branch will grow, and become the next mature tree. This next photo shows a toppled over maple, with two developing new trunks.

The marsh on the western side of the park is a wonderful place to explore. One regularly sees an adult Bald Eagle flying overhead.

View from the former observation tower

One time when I was out kayaking, I managed to get so close to a basking Map Turtle that I had to back off, as it was too close for the camera to focus on!

There is always something to see and be inspired about!

Harrison Trail on a misty November Day

Shoreline action, which can take place anywhere along the lake side.

Being the Christmas season, one of my favourite Christmas songs was originally written as a poem by the well-known American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was in the 1860s during the Civil War, a.k.a. The War Between the States. It was a stressful time for most Americans, and for Longfellow even more so, as he had just recently lost his wife in a fire, and his son was dealing with significant injuries from the war. Due to the loss of my wife Marie, earlier this year, I think this poem made into a song is even more meaningful to me. The song is called “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. One of the best known artists singing this Christmas Carol is the group known as Casting Crowns, and you can hear it via  this link.  The comments that follow below the video are meaningful as well.

In listening to the news and other forms of publicly accessible information especially in these last few years, there certainly is not much peace on earth. But there is hope!

Blessings to all this Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of God’s Son, and into 2025. And a heartfelt thank-you to family and friends reaching out to me during this very atypical Christmas!

 

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