Back to birds, mostly

First of all, a Life on a Sandspit update: it is currently available from the Friends of Rondeau bookstore at the Visitor Centre. The selling price is $27. Part of that, of course, goes to support the Friends. I am working on having the books also available at other local outlets in southern Chatham-Kent. There may be an option to make them available by mail, so stay tuned.

So many cooperative birds to photograph! I likely will have another wildflower post in the near future, as they continue to appear on the landscape, but this is prime birding season, so it is back to birds for this one.

I've spent a bit of time at St. Clair NWA, as it is fairly close to home. One of the highlights of my most recent visit was seeing about 7 Palm Warblers right along the trail. They aren't always the easiest bird to photograph so I was pleased with this opportunity. Most of the time they were on the ground, but on occasion they would get up and grab on to a plant stem.

Chipping Sparrows were here and there.

A few goslings were out exploring their wetland with their parents.

There is often an American Coot or two seen....

....and always a few Red-winged Blackbirds which pose for a short time.

I have heard Soras there from time to time, but they seldom show themselves. I'm hoping that Virginia and King Rails might be heard on a future visit, and also see or at least hear American and Least Bitterns. They are undoubtedly there now, but aren't easy to see.

A little farther up the edge of Lake St. Clair, there are good spots to see terns. This pair of Forster's Terns were getting right into the mating season.

There were lots of Painted Turtles, as usual, but I only shot this Northern Map Turtle, a species at risk.

I stopped at the Blenheim lagoons briefly on one occasion, in between showers. Lots of Ruddy Ducks were there although most were well out from the edge......

....and due to the cold weather, there were hundreds of swallows, mostly of the Tree Swallow type, but a few Barn Swallows, one of which is shown next. They are always a challenge to photograph as they swoop erratically in their chase for an insect to devour.

A short visit to the Erieau Rail Trail turned up a few warblers and others things. I did not get to see the Yellow-throated Warbler that showed up for a day, but I did see some dowitchers. The only one I got a photo of was a Short-billed. The other one that was a little farther away might have been a Long-billed. Both have been reported over the last few days.

Tree Swallows are always around, and occasionally take a rest on a branch.

Rondeau is where I have spent a little more of my birding time. There is always something to see, even if sometimes there is lots of distance between birds, and even more distance between birds to photograph. Black-capped Chickadees were quite abundant not that long ago, but most seem to have moved on....

....and most Dark-Eyed Juncos have also moved on. I was surprised to see three along Tulip Tree Trail recently.

Downy Woodpeckers are less vocal via tapping than a week or two ago, so they must be into nesting mode.

While an occasional Brown Thrasher had been seen not that long ago, it seems to be more abundant lately.

I managed a shot or two of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher as it flitted continuously and erratically at ground level searching for bugs in the rain.

Eastern Phoebes are scattered around on established territories.

Eastern Towhees are more often heard than seen, but this one cooperated for a few minutes in a tree by the trail.

House Wrens are fairly common, singing loudly and frequently.

Killdeer are in nesting mode, and sometimes faking it.

Northern Flickers are common, but are skittish when a birder is around. I guess they feel safer high up in a tree.

A Northern Waterthrush entertained a few birders near the Log Pond on one occasion.

The feeders at the Visitor Centre always attract birds and birders....and sometimes even in broad daylight this normally nocturnal critter just couldn't resist.

Along the trail, there are still some Hermit Thrush, although they are dwindling in number....

...a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are always enjoyable to see....a real crowd pleaser!

A recent highlight was to see this Red-headed Woodpecker at a distance, but at eye level.

 Another highlight was while I was exploring a little used trail. I noted a Pileated Woodpecker fly in nearby. It seemed a bit more silent than usual and I watched it fly to a dead tree that was full of holes. It gradually moved up and poked its head into one that looked fresh, and then backed out. Almost immediately the male dove out, and headed straight towards me before veering off! I don't think it was intentional.

The female then headed back to the hole and got in.

I plan to keep an eye on this nesting pair, as the several pair that call Rondeau home are not often nesting in somewhat of an accessible location. Fingers crossed!

This Solitary Sandpiper was busily hunting for food in the vicinity of the Log Pond.

White-breasted Nuthatches are always fun to see as they meander up a tree trunk.

As I was walking down Harrison Trail, I heard an unfamiliar chirp. I eventually tracked it down to this Wood Thrush. Every year one has to re-familiarize oneself with bird calls, songs, etc.

Yellow Warblers will soon be by far the most numerous warbler encountered at Rondeau and area.They are always fun to see.

Not that long ago a Black Vulture was seen at a couple of places just outside of Rondeau. I wasn't there that day, but I have seen that species on several occasions over the years. But I have paid a bit closer attention to vultures I have seen, including this pair of Turkey Vultures perched on this tree trunk just outside the park, which lent themselves nicely for a photo op.

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A Spring Wildflower 'Walk'

 The warmer than usual weather of a couple of weeks ago spurred a lot of spring wildflowers on their way. But the cool damp weather of the last few days have slowed their growth, and certainly caused the bird migration to stall, with a few birds dribbling through, but not like most birders hope for in late April and early May.

I know there are some readers who look forward to seeing the variety of spring wildflowers, but for various reasons cannot do it like they used to. As one ages, it is hard to get down to ground level to see them up close, and even harder to get back up again! And then there are some folks who have had a misfortune in their lives that limit their mobility in a serious way. I think of one reader in particular, Furry Gnome, who I have known casually for several decades. He has devoted a significant part of his life and career to protecting and promoting natural areas in various ways. Unfortunately a few years ago as a result of some needed surgery, is now limited to a wheelchair. Yet he continues to try and do the best he can. You can read about his adventures in his blog, which I have listed on the side of my blog site entitled 'Seasons in the Valley.'

This blog post is therefore devoted to those like Furry Gnome, who are unable to see spring wildflowers like they would like to, or used to. I am fortunate that I can still get out and about, and even have a camera body with a tilt screen enabling me to see those flowers up super close, without having to get down on my belly to do so.

What follows does not necessarily represent any particular order of flowering, but to a certain extent, just the way they are labelled. Their order of flowering can vary from site to site, depending on how well they are shaded, what the slope of the ground might be which could favour those getting a stronger sunlight to flower earlier.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the following flowers were photographed in the last couple of weeks.

One of the earliest to flower is this one:

Bloodroot

Cut-leaved Toothwort

Downy Yellow Violet

A closer view, which shows some kind of spider approaching the throat of the flower.

Downy Yellow Violet

Early Blue Cohosh

There is another, quite similar species of Cohosh that has greener flowers, and is in flower a couple of weeks later.

Early Buttercup

Dutchman's Breeches

This next one is Squirrel Corn, not nearly as common as Dutchman's Breeches in my experience. The leaves are very similar, so it is necessary to see the actual flowers to determine which species it is.

Yellow Trout Lily, shown next, usually has to have a bright sunny day before the petals open enough to curl back. Sunny days have been few and far between lately so the third one is from a brighter day a year ago.

Very similar to Yellow Trout Lily is White Trout Lily. It isn't as common. Again, it needs a good dose of bright sun to open and the only ones I have seen so far this year are hardly open at all. This one is from a couple of years ago.

Hepatica, shown above, can be one of two different kinds, primarily based on their leaf shape. However early in the season, the flowers typically emerge before the leaves are fully formed, and so are difficult to identify to species. The colours can vary from very white to bluish purple.

Next is Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

In some of the wetter parts of a woodland, one may come across a beautiful cluster, or many clusters of Marsh Marigold.

Also in the slightly damper parts of a woodland you may come across Purple Cress.

Red Trilliums are always a highlight to see. I am not sure why some have the single petal pointing up, as above, while others have the single petal pointing down.

Red Trilliums always seem to open up a bit earlier than their white counterpart. Most of the White Trilliums I have seen so far are still fairly tightly closed....

...but over the last few days, a few of the whites are showing better.

Spring Beauty, next, is just as its name implies.

One that flowers prolifically, but is seldom noticed, is Wild Ginger. Their distinctive leaves are apparent in various woodlands, but it isn't until you get down and look at the part of the stem right at ground level after brushing away the leaf litter that you can see the chocolatey brown flower resting on the ground. It isn't pollinated by flying insects as most wildflowers are. Instead they are pollinated by invertebrates that crawl on the ground.

A counterpart to the Downy Yellow Violet shown near the beginning is the Downy Blue Violet.

In very wet areas, such as the sloughs of Rondeau, is this Yellow Water Crowfoot, a member of the Buttercup family.

And spring wildflowers are not limited to those fleshy plants growing on the ground. Where there are damp woods, Spicebush, a woody shrub, can be dominant, as it is at Rondeau.

Not a flower in the usual sense, although it is the flowering/spore producing part of a common plant, is this Scarlet Cup, a fungus that is present primarily in spring.

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