First Canadian Record!!

When I photographed this lichen back in December, I wasn't able to identify the species. I uploaded the photo to iNaturalist and it took a few months to be noticed. I was contacted in March by a Botanist/Lichenologist who works for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. He asked if I would show it to him in April when he visited South-western Ontario for some field work.

On Friday April 19th, he and a colleague came to Lambton County where identification was confirmed as a Slender Orange-bush Lichen! It is the first record in Canada! He wanted to get some genetic information and cut a tiny sample in hopes of learning a little bit about the history of this plant. The sample will be sent to a lab in Alberta. The Lichen typically grows along the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico from Texas, Tennessee and Georgia. Other lichen species from the south have traveled north on landscape trees purchased at nurseries. However, this lichen (approximately 2 years old) was unexpectantly growing on a well established barberry bush.

I will continue to check on the lichen in the coming months and will report any changes to the Lichenologist. Hopefully fruiting bodies will be visible later in the year!

A friend asked me to inquire about local lichens that fluoresce under UV light. The Elegant Sunburst Lichen was suggested as a local example. I'm not sure which Sunburst lichen species is in the photo but I decided to give it a try. 

Later that day, I shone my UV light and got this image! I will definitely be checking for lichens at night with my light ! Seems like a great idea for future moth watch nights!

 5 Butterfly Species in 1 hour!

Despite the "coolish temperatures" on Thursday afternoon, I saw a total of 32 butterflies! The Red Admiral was the most abundant species with 24 individuals and they were staying on the sheltered, sunny side of slopes. They are typically a migrant, but some years they fly so early, the most likely explanation is that they overwintered as adults in Ontario.

If you look carefully, 3 individual Red Admirals are resting on the tree bark. Sap was dripping from Yellow-bellied Sapsucker holes.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers drill into living trees. Sap dripping down the bark from their holes attracts insects. The Sapsucker returns and eats the insects that are drinking sap from the holes it made. A Red Admiral appears to be brave (or foolish) as it flies past this female Sapsucker.

Gray Comma, resting in the sunshine.

When I first viewed this Mourning Cloak, I thought it was a dark leaf sitting in the grass.

Mourning Cloak, wings open: Spreading their wings helps butterflies to warm their bodies. They are dependent upon external heat sources, such as the sun to stay warm.

American Lady, one of 3!

A Northern Spring Azure takes a break on one of the few remaining flowering Bloodroot plants.

 Nest Building Has Begun!

A female Red-winged Blackbird closely inspected somebody else's nest! Maybe she was thinking of saving her energy and using this one? However, Red-winged Blackbird nests are placed low among vertical shoots of cattails, rushes and sedges. Females wind stringy plant material around several close, upright stems and weave in coarse, wet vegetation to make a cup.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/id

Male and female Black-capped Chickadees excavate a cavity in a tree. Once the nest chamber is hollowed out it averages 21 cm in depth. The female builds the cup-shaped nest hidden within the cavity, using moss and other coarse material for the foundation and lining it with softer material.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/lifehistory#nesting

A Black-capped Chickadee vigorously gathers soft seed fluff trapped between pieces of mulch on a trail in Canatara Park.

A female House Finch busily gathered sticks, while the male supervised nearby. House Finches will nest in a variety of locations including trees, shrubs, buildings, street lamps and hanging planters. The nest is a cup made of fine stems, leaves, rootlets, thin twigs, string, wool and feathers. The width is between 1-3 inches and 2 inches deep.

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

Female American Robins build the nest from the inside out, pressing dead grass and twigs into a cup shape using the "wrist" of one wing. Once the cup is formed, she reinforces the nest using soft mud gathered from worm castings to make a heavy, sturdy nest. She then lines the nest with fine dry grass.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/lifehistory#nesting

Male European Starlings choose the nest site and use it to attract females. The nests are virtually always in a cavity. Male Starlings begin building the nest before mating takes place, filling the cavity with grass, pine needles, feathers, trash, cloth and string. Females oversee the final arrangements and may discard some of the material the male added.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/lifehistory

Ground preparation! Canada Geese nest on the ground, usually on a muskrat mound or other slightly elevated site near water. They prefer a spot where they can see in many different directions. The female selects the site and does much of the nest construction. She does all the incubation while her mate guards her and the nest.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/lifehistory

Male Canada Goose on the left is guarding his mate, hidden amongst the grasses and sitting on the nest.

 Cellophane Bees!

I spent some time watching dozens of very active Cellophane bees digging holes in the sandy soil. They are important pollinators and are neither aggressive nor defensive.

Close-up of a nest with sand piled up around the entry hole.

10 nest piles are visible in the photo.

Dozens, if not hundreds of bees were flying just above ground level.

Underground cells are lined with a clear "cellophane-like" material that the female bees produce to line the cells containing eggs/larvae. The lining keeps the cells waterproof.

Resting in the sunshine!

Peeking into the hole. Another bee is close to the surface, looking out.

Spring is the time when adults are active. They have a short adult life span of about one month. Females emerge in the spring when they collect pollen. They will lay an egg on or near a mix of pollen and nectar and the developing bee will emerge the following spring.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/meet-pollinator-cellophane-bee/

 Blenheim Lagoons- Eclipse Day!

We had a 75 minute drive to reach an area of totality for the April 8th Solar Eclipse. Hoping to avoid the crowds, we headed to the Blenheim Lagoons. It was a wise choice with only 7 people on the property and we got to bird watch while we waited! A few of the 55 Bufflehead in the area performed aerial maneuvers for our entertainment before landing on the water. We also saw many other species including Northern Shovelers, American Wigeons, and 350 Ruddy Ducks!

I have had a difficult time finding Bonaparte's Gulls this year, but 70 of them were waiting for me at the Lagoons.

More aerial maneuvers! Tree Swallows are back and these two were not getting along!

First Cabbage White Butterfly of the year.

A butterfly silhouette let me check out the crescent shaped shadows as the moon passed in front of the sun.

Total Solar Eclipse! We were standing in an unsheltered area. As the moon came closer to blocking the sun, the skies darkened and the temperature dropped. Two members of our party returned to the car for a warmer jacket! We were fortunate that both the weather and the location allowed us to watch this amazing spectacle!

Recent Canatara Arrivals!

I saw my first Canatara Great Blue Heron of the year on March 26th. Sitting at the water edge watching for food, is a common position in which to find this species. 

Herons will have competition for food from other predators including a Bald Eagle perched high over Lake Chipican recently. Osprey have returned this week and enjoy the same fish menu!

Northern Flickers have been migrating through the area. Some will choose Canatara for their summer home, while others will stop for a rest and a meal or two before continuing their journey.

Red Admirals overwinter as adults but usually not in Ontario. We found this individual on April 4th, indicating that it overwintered nearby. 

A Solitary Common Loon headed north from Canatara towards Lake Huron and beyond!

We are daily finding Eastern Phoebes in the park. Although it has been cool, in sunny, sheltered areas insects are flying, providing needed food for these insect eaters.

Insects are also the main source of food for Golden-crowned Kinglets. If you look closely, a long-legged arthropod was captured by this bird.

Red-winged Blackbirds have been back for several weeks but I liked the water reflection as this one has a drink!

The iridescent feathers of a Common Grackle are vivid as it sits in the sunshine. From a distance, they appear to be black.

  Nature in Rural Petrolia!

We headed to Henderson Conservation Area for a walk on this beautiful day. I drove, but Deryl rode his bike as he continues to visit different birding locations in Lambton County.

After finding 26 bird species at the Conservation Area, he ventured over to Bridgeview Park, Marthaville Habitat Management Area and Mandaumin Woods on the way home. It was a 70 km loop!

Meanwhile, back at Henderson, most things with wings were very difficult to photograph. As I stood patiently trying to see a Chorus Frog, the entire "chorus" stayed hidden from me, despite the fact they were loudly vocalizing. They can be heard in the video.

Birds in the water were too distant for the camera but were identifiable with binoculars. We found 4 species of ducks including 49 Ring-necked Ducks.

In the sheltered areas, a few butterflies could be seen. Luckily this Red Admiral decided to rest long enough for a photo!

Always nice to see Spring Beauty in bloom!

(And they can't run away!)