Petrolia Things!

While walking along one of the weirs at Henderson Conservation Area, I noticed the tiniest Wooly Bear Caterpillar that I have ever seen! I took off my ring to provide some size perspective before it crawled away.

Many turtles sunbathed on a fallen log in the water at the Conservation Area. Half appeared to be Painted Turtles, while the other half were Red-eared Sliders.

A Question Mark butterfly, does its best "leaf" imitation as it sits with closed wings on top of a Staghorn Sumac leaf stem. Looking closely at the underwing, the basic shape of a white question mark is visible.

Autumn Meadowhawk

Fall Colours along the trails.

My next stop was in the town of Petrolia for the annual Arbour Week Tree planting. Each year the committee chooses a location in Lambton County to plant a few trees. The YMCA in Petrolia was this year's recipient. The clay packed soil and lack of recent rain made for some very challenging digging conditions! Notice the feet on the right, as they are standing on the shovel.

The smaller native trees just planted, are dwarfed by some other trees. Together, the little patch of tree life will provide shelter and food for future "things with wings"!

 October Yard Birds!

On the first day of October, a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird visited our backyard. They prefer to feed on red or orange flowers. Cana Lilies are one of the very few non native flowers in our garden.... and the only red flowers blooming this late in the year. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are eastern North America's only breeding hummingbird, breeding east of the Rockies. In terms of area, this species occupies the largest breeding range of any North American Hummingbird.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/overview

Her tongue is visible in the above photo.

Although it can climb up tree trunks and hammer on wood like other woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker prefers to find food on the ground. Ants are it's main food, and the flicker digs in the dirt to find them. It uses its long barbed tongue to lap up the ants. It had some success digging into the dirt between the patio stones this afternoon.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/overview

Video: Northern Flicker hunting for ants.

Another ground feeder is the Dark-eyed Junco. The majority of Juncos in Ontario breed north of Georgian Bay. We don't see them in the summer in SW Ontario, but they are now showing up for their winter visit.

White-crowned Sparrows nest in the Hudson Bay region. They are currently migrating to their winter homes and will be seen again next spring when they head north to breed. Occasionally, a few can be found at bird feeders in the winter.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/maps-range

White-throated Sparrows readily visit feeders or peck at fallen seeds beneath them. A brush pile in the yard can provide a place for them to take cover between trips to the feeder.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/overview

 Canatara Life in October!

A well camouflaged Great Blue Heron overlooking Lake Chipican: Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons weigh only 5 to 6 pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones, a feature almost all birds share.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview

A few weeks earlier, 6 Great Blue Herons were lined up in the distance.

A Green Heron has been recently hunting in the water near the animal farm. Green Herons stand motionless at the water's edge as they hunt for fish and amphibians. They usually stand on vegetation or solid ground, and don't wade as often as larger herons.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron/id

Yellow-rumped Warbler, taking a break from migration: I believe it had a very stiff caterpillar in its beak. The warbler ate whatever it was holding.

I watched this Praying Mantis fly along the path for several metres, then land just off the trail. I found it amusing to watch it's awkward flight. Adults will not survive the winter, so eggs must be laid before the arrival of cold weather.

Something caused a traffic jam on Lake Huron.

Lady Bugs or Lady Beetles will hibernate under rocks and logs during the winter months. It seems a bit odd to see them on wind swept Canatara beach, but every fall, it is a popular gathering point!

Common Buckeye continue to show up on the sunny days!

Bald Eagle, probable first year bird: Juveniles have broader wings and longer tails than adults. The orange feathers visible on the underside are a sign of the colour transition taking place as the bird ages.

A Red-tailed Hawk soared over the meadow.

 October Butterflies!

Some butterflies can still be found in sheltered, sunny areas during the fall. Returning home from a walk on October 2nd, after seeing few butterflies in Canatara Park, I saw a Common Buckeye waiting for me on the glass of my front door! It was nice to have a welcoming committee! I was able to get a few shots before it flew away. The eyespots can deter predators by tricking them into believing the eyes belong to a much larger creature. 

Common Buckeye, underwing, near Petrolia.

Fiery Skippers aren't able to tolerate harsh winters. They live year-round in the southern parts of the United States and expand their population north during the spring and summer months. They overwinter as pupae in leaf litter, emerging in the spring. We have been lucky to see several in SW Ontario this year.

https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/attracting-butterflies/fiery-skipper-butterfly/

Fiery Skippers can be difficult to find in most of Ontario, but I saw 6 individuals in Canatara Park in a garden on October 5th! I couldn't believe my luck when 2 landed on the same flower head!!

On October 7th, another one tried to hide from me. Notice the Fiery Skipper on the top of the leaf. It chose the perfect background for camouflage!

I still see the odd Monarch heading south.

An Orange Sulphur nectaring on a mustard plant.

Common Painted-lady on white asters.

Peck's Skippers are abundant earlier in the season. This is the first one I have seen in a few weeks.

Common Checkered Skipper

It is hard to say for sure, but the position of the abdomen on this Common Checkered Skipper makes me wonder if it was laying an egg on October 7th! They are able to reproduce in Southern Ontario through the summer. The overwintering stage is a mature caterpillar and it is unlikely that the caterpillar can survive Ontario's winters. However, we have experienced milder than normal winters in the past few years.

The ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario, Peter W. Hall, et al, 2014.

 Suncor Trail/Wawanosh

A half dozen Monarchs migrated southward as I walked the Suncor and Wawanosh Wetlands trail loop.

The Monarch Mimic: A Viceroy rested on some Queen Anne's Lace, (also called Wild Carrot).

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I likely rolled my eyes when I first attempted to photograph the adult Clouded Sulphur because it flew away just as I was about to snap the photo. However, it didn't fly far, and when I lined it up with my lens, I noticed that it had landed beside a Yellow Bear Caterpillar! Once it becomes an adult, the caterpillar will be known as a Virginian Tiger Moth!

The tiny specks "suspended" between the 2 twigs are insects that were caught in a spider web. I watched many warblers, including a Yellow-rumped Warbler approach this and other webs to grab a snack or two.

Something disturbed a Great Egret at the far end of the channel. It was headed west in this photo as it flew past me.

And then it turned and headed back in the direction from which it came!

A Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar was easy to spot on a Sumac leaf that was changing into its fall colours.

Common Painted-Lady

A natural vegetation tunnel along a Wawanosh trail.

Following wet weather, this section of the trail is often under water or is extremely muddy. It was nice to see improvements have been made to the south trail at Wawanosh Wetlands since I last visited! 

Pockets of Eastern Boxelder Bugs congregated on a Manitoba Maple.

Most of the Canada Geese visible from the trail were camped out on surrounding farm land. This pair decided they would rather be in the water!