Point Lands!

I wandered around the Point Lands by the St. Clair River recently. The Great Lakes Model (above) was a big hit with my kids when they were young as they sailed homemade boats through the waters. However the 2 foot drop at Niagara Falls caused much stress when the sailing vessels became trapped at the bottom of the miniature hydraulic wave. (A butterfly net always saved the day!)

Tree Swallows were the "bird of the day" by the pond as they flew circles around me, periodically landing on perches.

The day of my walk appeared to be "Nest Box Selection Day". They investigated each box, taking turns perching, peeking inside, and then flying to the next box.

Time for a rest.

The Swallows were in competition with invasive House Sparrows for the nesting boxes.

A female Red-winged Blackbird popped up on the dogwood bush as I passed by. She was likely assessing the site for nest placement.

As I approached, a male Red-winged Blackbird departed.

I finally saw the new SARNIA sign by the river.

 Spring Wildflowers!

Virginia Springbeauty is one of the many wildflowers native to our area. I enjoy the beauty of these flowers but they have another benefit beyond aesthetics. Native wildflowers provide food and shelter to the many insects, butterflies and birds that I so enjoy discovering on my nature walks! 

Purple Cress: Native Wildflowers have adapted to grow in our climate and rarely require watering.

Wood Poppy: Native Wildflowers provide shelter and food for wildlife. They help to increase biodiversity.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica: The roots of wildflowers help to reduce soil erosion by holding the soil in place.

Red Trillium is sometimes called Stinky Robert! A girl on a hike last year, took a whiff, and decided it smelled like a wet dog! 

A virus is the likely cause of the mostly green petals on this White Trillium.

Virginia Bluebells: The tubular flowers are especially valuable to bumblebees, mason bees and other long-tongued bees. Butterflies, skippers, Sphinx moths and even Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will benefit from the flowers.

https://www.inournature.ca/early-spring-blooming-native-plants

 Some Early 6-Legged Flyers!

I was introduced to the Olympia Marble a few years ago. The population is predominately found in Central Ontario, however there are a few pockets of the species found in North Lambton. After spending the winter in a chrysalis, they fly from April to mid-June. In 2023, we found a pair mating on May 5th!

The ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario, Peter W. Hall, et al. 2014

The upper wing does not show the marbling.  

Olympia Marbles are 30-40 mm across.

With wings spread, the tiny Brown Elfin is only 26 mm across! In the Carolinian zone, they fly from April to June. They can most often be found perched on low vegetation, or directly on the ground.

The ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario, Peter W. Hall, et al. 2014

Common Bearberry (in the photo) is the host plant for the Hoary Elfin. The Elfin is the same size as the Brown Elfin but shows "white frosting" on the underwing.

Northern Azures can be found in woodland clearings and along forest edges. They overwinter in the chrysalis.

The ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario, Peter W. Hall, et al. 2014

Six-legged Tiger Beetle: Adults and larvae eat many kinds of insects and other arthropods. Adults are active hunters, chasing down prey. Larvae are ambush predators, lunging at prey from burrows in the soil.

https://entomology.umn.edu/six-spotted-tiger-beetle

The intricate vein patterning on this Common Green Darner is quite striking! This individual was pretty busy with aerial maneuvers as he zipped past me several times before luckily taking a break nearby.

The Common Green Darner is one of 16 migratory dragonflies in North America. Like Monarchs, these dragonflies embark on a multi-generational migration, where the generation that returns to Canada in the spring are the grandchildren of the ones that left in the fall.

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

 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/