A Walk at Henderson C.A.

I always enjoy hiking at Henderson Conservation Area near Petrolia. The weirs were dry and I was able to walk the trails circling the lake. I had the trails to myself on Friday morning!

I need to start carrying sunflower seeds with me. I managed to salvage 7 seeds from the depths of my pocket from last winter and it didn't take long for them to disappear. The birds were grabbing seeds as they flew by. No stopping and enjoying the meal for these Black-capped Chickadees!

A female, Red-bellied Woodpecker noisily searched for food in a dead tree. 

She extracted something to eat from under the bark. The bird was too distant to confirm the food, but it could have been a nut or even a spider egg sac. (see below)

Spider egg sacs can be found in many sheltered locations. These sacs were attached to some teasel on a south facing slope, but some spiders will lay egg sacs under loose tree bark. The size and shape of the object in the woodpecker's beak (above) made me think the Woodpecker had possibly found a sac full off over 100 eggs.

Most of the maple leaves are becoming brittle and falling from the trees, but in a burst of sunshine, these American Beech leaves glowed!

Finding Food:

Everything needs to eat! I was surprised to see a White-throated Sparrow eating the fruit on Highbush Cranberry this week when so many other food sources are still available. These berries have an unpleasant odour. (I learned the hard way one Christmas when I used the cranberries to string with popcorn for decorating. The next day, the room had a nasty smell!) They tend to be a last resort to eat by most species in the late winter when other food sources have been exhausted.

Caterpillars provide a high source of protein and make prized food for both migrating birds and those that will be staying for the winter. This Black-capped Chickadee took over a minute to swallow this squirmy "worm".

Juicy caterpillars can be extracted from insect nests in trees by pulling at the leaves. A Blue Jay closely inspected a fall webworm nest for some food.

Insects are the preferred food of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. They flitter their wings almost continually in the search for food. Tiny insects can be found on many plants including Asters and Goldenrod.

I recently found 50 Golden-crowned Kinglets in a field! It was a cold day and they stayed primarily at ground level to find food. I was happy to get 2 individuals in the same picture!

 Butterflies in October!

All of these butterflies were found this month!

A late Common Checkered Skipper visited our garden this week. The Fall Crocus' provided a little bit of nourishment on one of the recent warm days.

A few Fiery Skippers continue to make the occasional appearance. It is a bright butterfly with big eyes and flight posture that looks more like soaring than fluttering! It is sometimes mistaken for a moth.

https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Fiery-Skipper

The Eastern-tailed Blue gets its name from the narrow tail on the hind wing, which is visible in the picture on the left side.

Red Admirals are migratory. Unlike the monarch, there is no single overwinter location known for the Red Admiral. During migrations, it can be found in almost any habitat from the tundra to the subtropics. In Canada, migrants are usually seen in May and occasionally the butterfly will overwinter successfully in Canada during mild winters.

https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/insects-and-spiders/red-admiral.html

I usually see "Wooly Bear" caterpillars crawling across the ground. This one climbed a plant in its search for food and safety.

Early morning sunrise, October 25, Suncor Trail.

 October Birds:

Warblers continue to migrate through the area on their journey south. We found a Yellow-rumped Warbler hunting for flying insects on this beautiful sunny, October day!

A Black-throated Blue Warbler popped up for a quick picture during a cold day recently. Unlike other warblers that molt into "confusing fall plumage", male Black-throated Blue Warblers keep their distinctive black and blue plumage year-round!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-throated_Blue_Warbler/overview

A Tennessee Warbler found some insects in the trees. They breed in coniferous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests across Canada. During migration, they can be found in most types of forests and woodlands.

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

Black-capped Chickadees were abundant today as we walked along a stretch of the Grand River.

After extracting a seed from its seed pod, the chickadee cached the food in the crevice of some nearby tree bark for consumption during the winter months.

Along the Grand River, a pair of Trumpeter Swans swam gracefully past us. By the late 1800's, feather collectors and market hunters had decimated Trumpeter Swan populations. Swan feathers adorned fashionable hats, women used swan skins as powder puffs, and the birds' long flight feathers were coveted for writing quills. Aggressive conservation helped the species recover by the early 2,000's.

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

 Nature in October:

I continue to be in awe of the relationship between ants and aphids. I found this group in Canatara and was surprised that they were all able to move in the cold weather that we experienced earlier in the week. The aphids produce honeydew which the ants eat. In exchange for this food, the ants protect the aphids from predators!

An Eastern Towhee quietly hung out in a tangle of sticks and vines. They spend most of their time on the ground, scratching at leaves, using both feet at the same time in a kind of backwards hop. They are a short-distance migrant. Towhees that spend the summer north of Virginia and southern Indiana move south during the winter, but Towhees south of that line may not migrate at all if they have a food source.

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

White-throated Sparrows also forage for food at ground level. They will readily visit feeders or peck at fallen seeds beneath them. If you make a brush pile in your yard, it will give them a place to take cover in between trips to the feeder.

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

Even though Carolina Wrens have very loud vocalizations, my eyes often struggle to locate the singing birds. This morning I found the wren hiding in a tangle of vines. Carolina Wrens defend their territories with constant singing. They will aggressively scold intruders away. Perhaps it perceived me as the intruder!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/id

Two Great Blue Herons involved in an argument recently at Blackwell Trails Park.

Rainbow over Lake Huron earlier this month.

 Peers Wetland, Oct. 16th:

The swollen abdomen of the Praying Mantis indicates she is probably ready to lay eggs. She will lay a frothy structure containing more than 100 eggs. The froth will harden, protecting the eggs through the winter, and tiny nymph replicas of the adult will emerge next spring. 

https://www.learnaboutnature.com/insects/mantis/praying-mantis-life-cycle/

October 16th was "travel day" for Wooly Bear Caterpillars at Peers Wetland. In a 150 metre stretch of trail, I encountered 18 individuals! They were likely searching for food prior to selecting a sheltered area under leaves or a wood pile to spend the winter. By producing a type of glycerol, the inner cells of the caterpillar will not freeze and they should be alive to make a cocoon the following spring. 

https://www.willyswilderness.org/post/caterpillars-in-winter-woolly-bears-are-built-for-cold#:~

Mute Swans are thriving at Peers. We counted 14 swans during our tour of the property.

An adult Bald Eagle circled overhead.

An unidentified moth nectared on New England Aster.

Orange Sulphur butterflies can fly in Southern Ontario well into November. This individual found nectar on a very late blooming Common Teasel.

 Royalty in Windsor!

Royalty visited the City of Windsor this past week! We made the trek today and had success in finding the Tropical Kingbird, a life bird for us! 

The bright yellow bird eluded us for quite some time. When it sang, Deryl recognized the call which pointed us in the right direction. When we finally got our first view (above), it was at the very top of a Poplar tree, covered in yellow leaves and difficult to see. Luckily, it flew much closer to us when we later headed back to the car! 

These robin-sized, gray and yellow flycatchers catch insects in flight, usually returning to the same perch to eat their prey. They are common in middle and South America. In the United States, the species nests just into southernmost Texas and Arizona where it inhabits towns, ranches, and lowlands, especially near water. To find one within driving distance of home was very exciting!  

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

The Detroit River near the Ambassador Bridge provided the nearby water habitat it desires.

We found a total of 24 species of birds including a Hermit Thrush and 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers during our visit to Windsor and were thankful for the beautiful weather!!

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Limberlost Birds

We experienced a cool, drizzly day and birds were few and far between, but Deryl managed to get some good pictures of a few species migrating through the Limberlost reserve.

We found a pair of American Pipits looking for food near the parking area. Although they are found in the open and are not especially shy, these small birds can still be inconspicuous as they walk briskly through tundra or agricultural fields. I believe this encounter provided me with the best view I've ever had of this species.

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

An American Pipit, posing on a rock.

1st Winter, White-crowned Sparrow

Adult male, White-crowned Sparrow

Although it can climb up the trunks of trees and hammer on wood like other woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker prefers to find food on the ground. Ants are its main food, and the Flicker digs in the dirt to find them. It uses its long, barbed tongue to lap up the ants.

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

White-throated Sparrows can readily visit feeders or peck at fallen seeds beneath them. They feed on millet and sunflower seeds. If you make a brush pile in your yard, it will give White-throated Sparrows a place to take cover in between trips out into your yard to feed.

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