Canatara, Early November:

Despite the warm temperatures this year, a sure sign of autumn is seeing Tundra Swans flying south from their remote Arctic breeding areas. I watched 9 birds fly over Canatara this morning. During migration and in the winter, look for them on large bodies of water and protected coastal waters. You may also see flocks in agricultural fields where they feed on spilled or unharvested grains.

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

The brightly coloured eyespots on this Common Buckeye are an adaptation to scare away predators. https://www.butterflyidentification.com/common-buckeye.htm

The second picture shows the underwing which helps the butterfly to camouflage on the leaf litter. Common Buckeye is not a common species in Ontario, but I found one in Canatara Park on November 8th! They are permanent residents from southern Mexico to the southern United States, migrating northward and sometimes reaching south-western Ontario. There were no records in Ontario of this species in 2021! 

Another late flying butterfly which is also uncommon is the Common Checkered Skipper. Their wingspan when stretched is only a little over one inch. I found 2 in the park on November 6th! 

Praying Mantis egg cases can be found on deciduous plants that have lost their leaves. After spending the winter on the plant stem, approximately 100 miniature praying mantis' will hatch, usually in the first week of June.

Red Oak leaves showing off their fall colours!