Happy Birthday Rondeau!

Today marks the 126th birthday of Rondeau Provincial Park. A year ago we had a nice celebration of former and current park staff, as well as numerous visitors. This year, with the park being closed, there is no on-site celebration, and in fact most people won't even be aware of this milestone at all, unless you are reading about it here. So consider yourself one of the knowledgeable few.

All of the parks in the provincial park system, including Rondeau, have been closed since March 19. No one is allowed in at Rondeau, other than cottagers, although I have heard that some folks are ignoring the closed signs and status. They do so at their own risk, since the potential fines can be substantial.

I was last in the park on March 18, the day before it was closed as it turned out, so I can only imagine what might be happening over the last few weeks. With the spring bird migration normally in full swing right now, one can only wonder what might be arriving without being seen. Perhaps there would be some new species for the park checklist, and no one is there to document the event! In the meantime, I will dig into my photo files and provide some idea of what may have occurred.

The first two photos were taken earlier this year, just before the park was closed. The mood even then was sombre, perhaps a foreboding of the future closure, with the foggy light filtering through the still mostly dormant forest.

 Wood Ducks had appeared.

 The leaves of an uncommon orchid, Puttyroot, were still visible late in the winter. They will then dry up and disappear as the flowering spike then develops to be in flower in early June.

But as the spring slowly unfurled, here are a few things that have likely occurred, or arrived. Blue Jays were fairly common this winter. Some will have moved back north.

 American Robins have arrived in numbers outside the park, so one can only expect that there are many of them inside, busily carrying on with their usual routines.

 Eastern Towhees have arrived.

 Spring wildflowers are emerging, such as Bloodroot, one of the earliest.

 Sharp-lobed Hepatica, as defined by the pointed leaf structure, will have undoubtedly almost finished by now.

 Spicebush is an abundant shrub, thriving in the damp soils that are so common at Rondeau. There is often a yellow hue to the forest understorey about now, indicating the abundance of this fragrant shrub.

 Dutchman's Breeches are common on the higher, drier parts of the forested ridges.

 A somewhat rare plant, Wood Violet, should be in flower in the next few days. It only occurs in a few small spots in the more northerly parts of Rondeau. Will anyone be able to enjoy it this year?

 ....or that of the diminutive False Mitrewort, the delicate flowers of which are barely half a centimetre in diameter?

 Red Trillium is not nearly as common as its white, provincial counterpart, but is widespread and as their average first flowering date is about May 4, should be in flower right now.

 Sometimes there are unusual forms of the Red Trillium to be found, such as this next one which I have seen on several occasions along the Spicebush Trail. Will it be there again in 2020, or has it completed its life cycle never to be seen again?

In another couple of weeks, this declining orchid will be in flower. Although its name is Showy Orchid, it is small and anything but showy unless one gets down to its level for a close-up view.

Of course birds are one of the things that many people look forward to at hotspots like Rondeau right about now. Undoubtedly they will arrive as usual, but will they notice the lack of birders with binoculars pointed in their direction? Probably not, I'm thinking. These first two species are some of the almost 40 species of warbler recorded at Rondeau, and are pretty common any year.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

 And then there are the less common ones, that always get a little more attention when they are found, such as Hooded Warbler....

 ....and including, of course, the unofficial bird of Rondeau, the Prothonotary Warbler. Rondeau remains the provincial, indeed the national, stronghold for this dazzling warbler.

 Common Nighthawks aren't so common any more, and to find one cooperatively resting on a visible branch along a trail is always a treat.

 The Red-headed Woodpecker, which used to be fairly common, is now far less often seen anywhere in Ontario, although in any given year there may be one or two pairs of them still nesting at Rondeau.

 The White-winged Dove has been back for a few weeks now so I am told. If its past behaviour is any indication, it will still be easily found by the time the park (hopefully!) opens up again.

As May continues, there will be other highlights, including an array of colourful butterflies flitting along the trails.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

 So regardless of the current closure of the fabulous natural areas that we tend to enjoy, and to some extent take for granted in both the Provincial and National park system, it is some consolation to know that nature will likely thrive nonetheless. In fact it is almost certain that there will be far fewer road killed critters adorning the roadways!

The sun will rise again and it is just a matter of time before we can enjoy these special places.

In the meantime, stay safe, and

Happy Birthday Rondeau!