Waterbirds continue, Fungi and some backyard wildlife

 The autumn migration continues, with a few more northern warblers filtering southward, as well as shorebird numbers and diversity continuing to build. At the local sewage lagoons, the species and numbers vary, but the lagoons are productive, as evidenced by a good number of 'out-of-town' birders checking them out in addition to us locals.

One of the highlights of recent days was the single day sighting of a Red-necked Phalarope. I didn't get to the lagoons that day, but went the following day. There was at least a dozen birders over the course of the next day, all with the hopes of encountering this rare shorebird. Unfortunately there has been no sign of the phalarope by anyone since, but it is relatively early in the autumn migration so another one might show and stay around. A highlight of this outing, however, was to see my first of the year Baird's Sandpiper.

Short-billed Dowitchers, a shorebird with a long bill, but on average shorter than its Long-billed relative, are also appearing as expected.

There are lots of the diminutive Least Sandpiper around....

....as well as Lesser Yellowlegs....

...and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and others.

Sandhill Cranes continue to be around wetlands, as well as recently harvested fields nearby. At this time of year one might expect to see a third or fourth one, as a family group. It is more likely that this pair was unsuccessful raising any young this year, since there were no young accompanying them.

With the amount of precipitation in recent weeks, it will come as no surprise to see a profusion of fruiting fungal bodies around in the leaf litter or emanating from rotting wood, some of which are quite colourful or at least distinctive. These images were all taken during one or more of my quite recent orchid forays at Rondeau.

Coral Fungus

This next one is a member of the Gomphus genus, without a common name. It might be a relative rarity on the North American landscape, but species identification is yet to be determined.

Next is a member of the Waxcaps group.

And this next one is a member of the Deer Mushrooms group.

This last one is known as Dead Moll's Fingers, a member of the Xylaria genus

There are things of interest much closer to home, which is great for my photographic itch when I don't wander too far. Marie spotted this caterpillar busily trying to get through the grasses. It is an American Dagger Moth.

In the pollinator part of our community garden, the Great Black Digger Wasps are busy....

...as are the various species of wasps and wasp-like critters. The one in the photo below is a member of the Umbrella Paper Wasp group.

A young Short-horned Grasshopper posed for a single photo before leaving for parts unknown.

This Tachinid Fly, which is hard to identify to species with a single photo, was keeping an eye on my camera with ring flash and macro lens coming closer and closer.

Much easier to get photos of was this Giant Swallowtail, once considered an uncommon and even a potential species at risk not that long ago.

Nesting season is still ongoing. We have had a pair of Mourning Doves building a nest just a few metres outside our living room window. They didn't start until after the first of August, and the female is now sitting on the nest almost all the time. Presumably there are one or more eggs. In past years, Mourning Doves have attempted to nest in the same location, but without success. Their nests are flimsy structures, and they could never get any nesting material to stay in place. This pair has found a way, and we will be keeping an eye on how it develops over the next few weeks.

As an update regarding my book 'Life on a Sandspit':

 It is now available at more locations, including:

-Friends of Rondeau bookstore in the Rondeau Visitor Centre;

-Bayview Market, just outside the park gates;

-Mindful, an interesting store in Blenheim at the main intersection of Talbot Trail and Marlborough St

-The Book Brothers, on King St E in Chatham

-via the Sydenham Field Naturalist web site, at https://www.sydenhamfieldnaturalists.ca/publications/

If you would like to subscribe, or unsubscribe, to Nature Nuggets, send a request to: prairietramper@gmail.com