Some Eastern Ontario 

Reptiles and Amphibians:

We took a mini vacation to Eastern Ontario over an extended weekend. Still lots of photos to sort through but the reptile and amphibian pics were more manageable to deal with. Although American Bullfrogs are an invasive species, it was fun listening to their "jug-o-rum" call. You can see the deflated, then inflated vocal sac of this Bullfrog as he was "singing".

While walking through the Perth Wildlife Reserve Conservation Area, our silence was unfortunately interrupted by trail maintenance. This Garter Snake took shelter from the menacing machine by hiding in the PVC tube supporting a bench. 

An Osprey was perched on a nest at the Mac Johnson Wildlife Area near Brockville. While photographing the Osprey we noticed snapping turtles in the water below.

Although only one Snapping Turtle is visible, there is actually a second one underneath. It was mating day for these turtles!

 Odds and Ends of June!

Pecks Skipper on an Iris, Tall Grass Prairie, Windsor.

White-spotted Sable Moth, Canatara. This species can be a challenge to find as they usually rest on the underside of leaves.

Virginia Ctenucha Moth, Perch Creek. Like the more familiar Wooly Bears, Ctenuchas are in the Tiger moth family. They overwinter as caterpillars and pupate in spring in cocoons which they construct using their own hairs. The are a day flying species. 

https://edu/field-station/moth-madness/

Tawny-edged Skipper and an empty pupa case to the right. I don't know what species emerged from the pupa.

Leafhopper on dewy stem, Canatara Park

A big pair of Fish Lips! Carp at Henderson C.A.

 A Visit To Reid C.A.

I felt like the "butterfly whisperer" when a Banded Hairstreak landed on my finger. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the humid temperatures and the fact that my hand was a bit sweaty!

We specifically visited this site for a target species, but found other insects as we wandered down the trail. I enjoy watching dragonflies stare at me while hovering at head height. They seem to be checking us out, but eventually land for a rest like this Common Whitetail did.

The prey isn't very large, but if you look closely at her mouth, this female Blue Dasher has captured a snack.

Thanks to some assistance from a friend, we found 3 Oak Hairstreaks, a very rare species for Ontario. Notice the 'M' shape at the back of the hind wing where the 'tails' are located. This was a 'butterfly lifer' for me!

Many hairstreaks were visible including this cluster on some Indian Hemp. Most of the butterflies were the common Banded Hairstreak.

 Storm Drain - Duckling Rescue!

A neighbour heard a stranded duckling calling who had fallen through the storm water drain across the street.

Several people worked together to perform the rescue.

Meanwhile, Mom had given up and was walking away with the rest of her charges. A couple of friends stood on the lawn to prevent her from getting too far away.

A pool net was used to carefully remove the little duckling from the drain hole. 

I carried the duckling back to the family and placed her on the grass. Baby peeped, Mom quacked and a reunion occurred! All was well in the duck world again!

 Nature's Colours!

Red-banded Leafhoppers have returned to our backyard, including this mated pair. Another common name for the species is Candy-striped Leafhopper. Adults are agile and can move as fast sideways as forward. They can jump to avoid predators or to move to another plant. (http://minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/red-banded_leafhopper.htm.)

Adult Variable Dancers are a beautiful violet colour. They eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies and flying ants or termites. (http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?eclode)

While visiting a friend's native plant garden, we found a pair of mating Red Milkweed Beetles!

A very blue, Familiar Bluet!

A European Skipper and Common Ringlet share space on Birdsfoot Trefoil.

A brightly coloured sun umbrella decorates Canatara beach!

 Oriole Rescue:

Last evening Deryl was "dive bombed" by the Baltimore Oriole parents in our backyard. We soon realized that there were baby orioles on the ground.

The nest in our Silver Maple is not visible as it is well hidden near the very top of the tree. The above picture shows the beginning of a woven ring to start a nest that I found in Canatara back in May. The hanging cup is then formed. We think the nest in our yard may have fallen.

We knew there was little chance of survival for the babies on the ground so Deryl manufactured an elevated nest on our ladder. It is secured to our clothesline and anchored with stakes. Perching sticks were also added to the box. One of the box top flaps is attached for sun and rain shelter.

We captured the babies then placed them in the nest box.

 After about an hour of looking in the box, Mom started taking food into the youngsters. 

She is still feeding them today. We found a third baby on the ground this morning so all 3 are now in the make shift nest. We don't know if they will survive, but we wanted to make an attempt!

 Dragonflies at Perch Creek:

Dragonflies and Damselflies have developed from ancestors originating at least 300 million years ago! There has been relatively little change in body design from those in fossil records. (The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Park, Colin D. Jones, et al 2013.)

The Eastern Pondhawk can be found around Lakes, ponds and slow streams. It is a voracious species that catches large insects, including its own species! (The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Park, Colin D. Jones, et al 2013.)

Female Eastern Pondhawk  (male is in first picture)

Jewelwings are among the largest dragonflies in Ontario with "metallic" body colouration and dark wings. The Ebony Jewelwing female is in the top photo and is identifiable by the white dot on her wings.

The Common Whitetail tends to have a broader body than many other dragonflies.

A female Widow Skimmer seems to be hiding from me! When the legs are held 

together, the leg hairs act like a net and help dragonflies capture insects while in flight.

Although the front of the white face isn't visible in the photo, this creature is well named. It is called a Dot-tailed Whiteface! The yellow dot on the tail also helps in identifying the species.

 Bridgeview C.A. Petrolia!

I had a chance to rediscover Petrolia's Bridgeview Park this week. It has been several years since I last walked the trails and many improvements have been made. This covered bridge was constructed as part of a Federal Government funded project in the 1980's.

The trails are well groomed and 6 feet wide! Most trails are complete, but once all sections are finished, there will be approximately 6 kilometres of trails! There are many turns in the meandering trails which are bounded by Bear Creek, and the Petrolia Discovery. 

A few historical plaques tell some history of this area.

We enjoyed the bird and butterfly populations, including watching a Green Heron who rested for a bit.

Today was only the second time I have seen a Tawny-edged Skipper. It is a local resident in Ontario and can be found in open grassy habitats.

A pair of Delicate Cycnia Moths mating on some milkweed. They are members of the Tiger and Lichen Moths. Members of this family have a "tymbal organ" which uses a thin membrane to produce ultrasonic countermeasures against the echolocation system of bats (their chief predator).  https://www.cirrusimage.com/moth_cycnia_tenera/

Lots of suitable habitat to raise a young family of White-breasted Nuthatches. 

A youngster is being fed some lunch!

Look at that proboscis sipping nectar!

Many species of flowers are available for thirsty Skippers! 

Bridgeview is an enjoyable place to explore nature!