CASO, a newly accessible trail in Chatham-Kent

 The use of railways has changed over the decades, and some have become abandoned or taken over by new interests. Such is the case for the former CASO rail line, which extends throughout Chatham-Kent. It has had various owners over its lifetime, and it was just a few decades ago when it was taken out of use. 

I had the opportunity beginning in 2012 to work with Carolinian Canada staff, doing a cursory life science inventory, starting off with the eastern portion in that year. We tried to document as many of the major groups of flora and fauna that we could, but with only a relatively brief time period. On rare occasions when some vegetation community especially piqued our interests, we would visit a section of the rail trail a second time.

The results were pleasing. Although much of the trail passed through heavily agricultural usage areas, there were places where it went by an interesting woodlot, or even better, a small prairie patch or a wetland.

A buttonbush swamp is considered a rare vegetation community in Ontario.

The few wetlands are popular with turtles.

'Tired' turtles

There were several small prairie patches which were delightful to find. These areas, especially those that were first encountered early in the season, were usually visited a second time to see just what occurred in them during a period when they would be displaying a greater diversity of prairie species.

As a result, we tallied more than 275 species of plants, 50 species of birds (46 with evidence of breeding), 28 species of butterfly, 8 species of reptiles & amphibians and 8 species of mammals. 

There were various highlights. Compass Plant, shown first, is a provincially rare species which was first known for this site back in 2000. It proved to be even more extensive as it occurred in several sections.

The prairie patches sometimes supported an endangered prairie species known as Dense Blazing-star.

 

Other prairie patches had 'just' some of the expected prairie species.

Butterfly Milkweed

Another highlight was coming across a large patch of this prairie species, which was a first record for Chatham-Kent. It is known as Prairie Sundrops (Oenothera pilosella). Due to some shrubby growth, the patch is smaller now than back in 2012.

Due to the presence of many non-native wildflowers, not all that surprising since parts of it have been heavily disturbed, there is an incredible array of plants that attract butterflies and many other pollinating invertebrates. I came across Pipevine Swallowtail in a couple of different areas.

Milbert's Tortoiseshell is much more common than Pipevine, but not seen anywhere all that regularly.

While we were carrying out this inventory, it was always our hope that this would be publicly accessible. It had been posted as off limits at the time, and at one point while conducting some of the field work, I had been reported by a local landowner as being suspicious. This resulted in a local police officer stopping by and checking me out. Fortunately the letter of permission I had with me prevented any further complications.

Fast forward to the last couple of years, and the eastern half has now been made publicly accessible. This is the section beginning at Communication Road (formerly Hwy 40) and going east to the edge of CK at MacPherson Road. The property is jointly owned by Entegrus and the municipality, and is currently underway to be upgraded with signage, etc., for pedestrians and cyclists. Several sections have been upgraded already, with more happening this year, and the entire stretch being completed by 2025.

There are 32 access points. Many sections will already have an entrance marked like this:

A closer look will give much more detail.

Other sections which have not yet been upgraded but where there is access will only have a sign like this:

And this may be of particular interest to birders, especially those who are involved with the current Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas in Region 2. This trail, as mentioned, goes through lots of areas that were previously not accessible, and traverses squares MH19, MH29, MG20 and MG30.

I have been on some of the sections over the last few weeks. As mentioned, some sections have been upgraded and are well signed. The trail is nicely set with lots of room for pedestrians and cyclists, as shown in the following image.

Compass Plant is still present in the usual sections.

They were coming up very close to the rail bed during our 2012 inventory, and even after the trail has had the rails, ties and gravel removed and with a good layer of trail gravel put down, some plants are emerging through the base.

Given the dominant shrubby, open vegetation types, the diversity of birds would fit that habitat type. I haven't been by one of the woodlands or wetlands during the prime breeding period yet. Nonetheless I have encountered almost 40 species of birds so far. With a few dead trees along the route, the open branches provide some decent photo opportunities.

Cedar Waxwing

Indigo Bunting

I haven't seen a lot of butterfly diversity yet, but some of the main pollinator plant species are just coming into their peak period, so I would expect a greater diversity in the next few weeks. I have noted the following things of interest.

Bladdernut is not a common shrub in southern Ontario, and only occurs in a couple of sections along this trail.

Sassafrass, easily identified by its distinctive leaf shapes, is scattered along.

White Mulberry is present along most sections, and is just now coming into fruit. The fruits are quite tasty, so before the birds get them all, you can enjoy a few along the way. A mulberry tree in fruit is always worth keeping an eye on since they are quite popular with several bird species.

Horse-nettle is a Carolinian species but fairly widespread especially along roadsides and other disturbed areas, including this trail.

This insect is probably an Oblique Streaktail (Allograpta obliqua), a type of hoverfly.

Wild Bergamot is widely scattered along the trail, especially in the prairie patches.

Adjacent to one section is a planted prairie, now owned by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority. Recently the Ohio Spiderwort, an excellent prairie species, was in spectacular form.

So kudos to all who have made this publicly accessible trail available. It is worth checking out for lots of reasons. I hope to see a few more people out there, but not all at once :-).

Additional note: Please be advised that if you are a subscriber to this blog, the blog site has indicated that sometime after July it will no longer be providing automatic email notices of when this blog is published. I will try and get a subscriber's list assembled and let you know, but in the meantime, if you would like to be advised of the publication of future posts of Nature Nuggets, let me know via this email: prairietramper@gmail.com

Neotropic Cormorant, Whimbrel, Franklin's Gull and other late May highlights

May birding has come to an end, but there are still some northbound migrants trickling through. In fact by the time the northbound migrants have finished passing through this area, it is likely that some of the earliest northbound species that attempted to get to the arctic breeding grounds for an early start, might have had failed nests and are already returning to southern Ontario to feed and rest up, awaiting the urge to return to their wintering ground later this year. So for a very short period, the spring and fall migrants may overlap.

This post will feature some of my favourite bird photos that I took this month that I haven't yet posted, as well as some of the more unusual species that I have caught up with quite recently.

One of the highlights was to have one or more Common Nighthawks using a quite visible branch for their daytime roost along the north part of Rondeau's Harrison Trail. It was seen for several days in a row, and while the mostly cloudy condition at the time did not give a great background for photographic documentation, on one occasion I came across this one with a pleasing blue sky.

 The bird was relatively settled in, but once in awhile do a 180 degree turn on the branch, or open an eye to check out the birders watching it. Maybe it was keeping track of how many people came along, adding us all to its people list.

 An Eastern Screech Owl got a lot of attention. It was nice that it was facing the Bennett Ave road, and a safe distance from folks who stuck to the road.

 Gray Catbirds have been fairly abundant, but do not often pose long enough away from the usually dense shrubbery where they are found.

 Lincoln's Sparrows are not commonly seen, and even when they are, are often furtively poking around some wet shrubby areas. This one was busily foraging on an almost submerged log at the log pond.

 Indigo Buntings, always a delight to see in bright sunlight due to their rich indigo colour, are occasionally seen in shrubby openings, or along shrubby forest edges.

 Red-belllied Woodpeckers are common residents, but are becoming quieter in the forest since they have already established a territory and are busy with nesting activities. This one occurred in a quite open area along Warbler's Way.

 Eastern Kingbirds were very abundant for a few days, and there will often be a few along forest edges such as near the cottage community.

 Scarlet Tanagers are more often heard than seen in the forest, as they are typically fairly high and at least partially obscured by the newly emerged leaves.

 The Wood Thrush is one of my favourite woodland species. Spending time in woodland areas on a quiet evening will usually result in hearing their melodious, flute-like song. Unfortunately due to a decline in the quality of woodland that this species requires, as well as other factors, Wood Thrush is now officially a Species At Risk in Ontario being designated as Special Concern.

Cuckoos are not very common. This next photo is of a Black-billed Cuckoo, easily identified by its dark lower bill and the lack of large white spots on the underside of its tail which are found on the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Of course while out looking for birds, one encounters other things along the way. Eastern Chipmunks are quite abundant and briefly visible as they scamper about the forest.

 On the occasional warm, sunny day, one may find a Five-lined Skink basking on a boardwalk or log. The southern Ontario, or Carolinian, population of this reptile is officially Endangered.

Shorebirds are passing through in good numbers these days, and likely will be for the next couple of weeks. Since many of them nest in the high arctic, they wait as long as possible for the conditions at that latitude to be most favourable for their breeding activities. The shores of the lake, at sewage lagoons or, especially this year in flooded fields, are the best places to find them. The Keith McLean Conservation Lands is a good place to check out, since there are several acres of flooded fields with varying water level depths. Rarer shorebird species such as Willet and Black-necked Stilt, mentioned in earlier posts, have been found there not long ago.

Short-billed Dowitchers have been present at the KMCL in small numbers.

 A dozen or more Semipalmated Plovers have been seen there quite recently.

 Solitary Sandpipers are usually solitary, and like shallow water in grassy fields.

 Spotted Snadpipers are found in almost any medium sized to large size wetland edge. The local sewage lagoons often have a few.

 Dunlin are present in fairly large numbers, at any of those shallow wetland habitats or lake edges. Sometimes as many as one hundred can be seen at one of these sites.

One of the shorebird highlights of the spring is the arrival of Whimbrel. This large shorebird species with the distinctive long, down-curved bill,  doesn't stay around for long.

Green Herons, which often look almost black depending on the light they are seen in, are present in or near wooded wetlands.

In the latter part of May and into June, is a good time to see less common gulls. Certainly that has been the case again this year, as several less common species have been found in the Erieau/McGeachy Pond area. Several Franklin's Gulls (FRGU) as well as a Laughing Gull (LAGU) have been seen irregularly. FRGU usually have more white in their wingtips, and LAGU wingtips are typically solid black. Hence a bit of initial confusion on the bird in this next photo. But after checking a bit further, a first summer FRGU will have all dark wingtips. So that, as well as lacking a larger, slightly drooping bill and having fairly wide white eye-crescents, seen better in the second photo, all point to this being a FRGU.

Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the first summer LAGU, as I just saw it at quite a distance through the scope. But on that occasion, at least, the overcast conditions gave better light and no heat haze to contend with.

An almost full adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was noted in the onion field with other gulls, although it didn't stay very long.

Last, but certainly not least, was this Neotropic Cormorant, one of the very few records for the Rondeau area. It was first found by Jim Burk a couple of weeks ago, and then disappeared for a short while. In the last week or so it had been seen roosting in the willow trees on the far side of the Erieau channel. My first attempts at a photo did not turn out well, due to the lateness of the day but more so due to the very white/gray sky, making a black bird really difficult to photograph. A day or so later, when the sky was blue late in the day I got more satisfactory photos. The bird is on the left, and is distinguished from the larger and super abundant Double-crested Cormorant by being smaller, about 2/3 the size, having a smaller pale throat patch and a white chevron of feathers at the base of the mouth parts. At some angles, the eyes look a little more 'bug-eyed', but that characteristic is not visible in this photo, which was taken and then greatly cropped so that the final result is the equivalent of about 95X.