Connecting with Nature Through a Green Heron!

I had a magical moment with a young Green Heron on Thursday! He wasn't having much luck finding food, but he did get lots of hunting practice! Several leaves and sticks were caught and discarded.

He walked up and down the log hunting for something to eat.

"Maybe I'll have more luck if I hide behind the reeds!"

Flea Check!

Dragonfly overhead!

Time for a stretch.

"Hunting for food is hard work!"

"Darn, another muddy leaf!"

Hopefully it won't be long before he masters the technique!

"There's too much mud here to find a fish!

I hope I don't sink!"

 A Bit of This and That!

Mother Nature has "bedazzled" the thorax of this Blue Dasher!

Virginian Tiger Moth, also known as a 'Yellow Bear' is related to the Wooly Bear!

Adult Bonaparte's Gull, 1 of 4 on Canatara Beach this morning.

Black Swallowtail at Germain Park.

Another ambitious web building spider: Argiope - Yellow Garden Spider.

This spider web has been invaded by Teasel flowers falling from above. It will probably make trapping prey a little more difficult for the web owner who is visible in the centre of the photo!

Lots of Green Herons - 5 in one tree.

A young Great Blue Heron appears to be a little grumpy. Perhaps he doesn't like fishing for his own food after being catered to in the nest!

 Wild Wetlands!

Wetlands can seem pretty wild when you hear the amazing sounds coming from within. Casting your eyes on a bird like this helps to underscore the wildness! Deryl photographed a Common Gallinule in the reeds on Sunday.  He didn't see any young, but is sure they were hiding nearby.

In 2015 we found a family of Common Gallinules with young chicks at Peers Wetland!

I spent a day at Henderson Conservation Area last week. The 330 acre site includes wildlife ponds and provides food, water, shelter, and space for countless birds, animals, insects, etc. While standing in one spot, I watched 5 Green Herons fly past. One of the herons decided I wasn't a threat and flew back to his favourite "fishing" log.

Eastern Amberwing relaxing in the sun.

Green Darner - well camouflaged in the grasses.

Many Painted Turtles were enjoying the sunshine! Turtles are cold blooded and will alternate between basking on logs and slipping into the water to help regulate their body temperature. The sun also helps in the retention of vitamin D which maintains strong and healthy shells.

 Leafcutter Bees on Their Flying Carpets!

Several weeks ago, I noticed signs of Leafcutter Bees in my backyard. If you see circular shapes cut from leaves, they are likely made by Leafcutter Bees. The leaf pieces are rolled into a tube shape for this solitary nesting species. Each tube is sealed at one end and is used to house one egg and the food the youngster will require after hatching.

On Friday morning, I watched a Leafcutter Bee "fly on her green magic carpet" while carrying a leaf piece into a cavity in my backyard garden. Inside the cavity, she will form a nursery cell for one of her offspring. I watched her enter 6 times before I couldn't sit cross-legged on the ground any longer. 😉 The following 3 pics show entry into the cavity area.

Leafcutter bees are valued pollinators. There may be up to 15 rolled leaves in a cavity. The eggs hatch in about a week and the larva eat the pollen and nectar left by the parents. They will "over winter" in a pupa, emerging as an adult the following spring. 

https://wildpollinators-pollinisateurssauvages.ca/2018/07/01/leafcutter-bees/

Turtle Laying Eggs:

Saturday morning Deryl found a Red-eared Slider laying eggs beside a path in Canatara Park. This invasive species is sold in pet stores and is unfortunately released into natural waterways when the owners no longer wish to care for them. Nevertheless, still neat to watch the eggs being laid! Look carefully below the tail to watch the egg drop.

   

It typically takes 2 months (temperature dependent) before the eggs will hatch, IF they aren't eaten by predators such as raccoons, mink, etc. Reptiles do not care for their young after the eggs are laid.

 10 Minutes By The Buttonbush!

I spent 10 minutes watching life buzzing around a Buttonbush in Canatara Park this morning. This native species provides a great feeding station for countless insects.

A pair of Monarch Butterflies first caught my attention with their bold orange and black colours.

My peripheral vision caught sight of a "blurry" motion. Two Snowberry Clearwing Moths were nectaring on the bush. They are small members of the Sphinx Family and look like tiny hummingbirds.

Two Northern Broken-dash Skippers were also having a drink.

Blue Dasher surveying his territory above the small pond.

He was watching for insect prey.

Eight-spotted Foresters Moth. This moth was over an inch wide.

In addition to the larger insects, many small pollinators including bees and flies buzzed around the flower heads.

 

And just below the Buttonbush, a Painted Turtle was trying to get a better view by climbing on top of his buddy's shell!

 Canatara Critters!

I believe this caterpillar will transform into either a Viceroy or Red-spotted Purple butterfly when it reaches adulthood. (Genus Limenitis) I love how the larva is masquerading as bird poop!

A Margined Blister Beetle surprised me in the meadow. It was about an inch long. If threatened or slapped (when it lands on your arm), it can release a chemical that causes a blister to human skin. Luckily it was interested in the plants and not me! 

Eastern Tailed-blue opening his wings to warm up in the morning.

Great Egret trying to camouflage in a birch tree.

I have recently noticed thousands of Water Striders on the surface of Lake Chipican. They have tiny hairs that repel water and capture air. By repelling water, the tiny 6-legged striders can stand on the water's surface and the captured air allows them to float and move easily. Scientists are studying water striders in hopes of making materials that more easily repel water and to help objects move faster over water. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Water-Striders

Some recent wet weather means we are seeing more mushrooms. 

Mushrooms play an important role in the circle of life. They feed on dead and 

dying material and return nutrients back to the soil for more plants to grow.

Another Red Screech Owl has been hanging out in the regular tree hole. The colouring appears to be different from others viewed in the tree, perhaps a new generation!

 Mink in our Midst!

I have noticed American Mink in different locations this year. Since I found a family yesterday, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the pictures I have collected over the past few years.

On Friday, I watched 4 American Mink run along the edge of the Lake Chipican channel. 

As soon as I was spotted, they started swimming. I usually only see one at a time. These animals are common in Ontario.

In 2019, a family of 5 Mink ran right past my ankles. I was standing still at the time and they froze when they realized I was present. I had time for 3 pictures before they disappeared into the underbrush.

A few years ago I watched one run along the St. Clair River in Port Lambton.

Last year one swam from the island in Lake Chipican to the mainland.

Although they are semiaquatic, this one seemed to prefer walking on the logs over getting wet. He eventually dove into the water without bothering the turtles. Minks are carnivores that feed on fish, frogs, crayfish and birds if they can catch them.