Autumn in Central Lambton County!

Beautiful Fall colours at Henderson Conservation Area!

I was staring at the large number of pine cones on this White Pine Tree when a Red-breasted Nuthatch made an appearance. Nuthatches can use their strong beaks to break open the cone scales and remove the seeds from within.

Bald-faced Hornet nest: Each year a new nest is created. The insects scrape pieces of wood from trees and mulch it into a type of paper with their own saliva. They build several layers of brood chambers surrounded by a protective outer layer. The entrance/exit hole is in the bottom right corner.

https://peskylittlecritters.com/how-bald-faced-hornets-build-nests-explained/

A late flying Spicebush Swallowtail.

Black-tipped Darners are large, strong flying dragonflies found throughout southern Canada. They are late season flyers and the preferred habitats are lakes and ponds in forested areas.

https://wiatri.net/inventory/odonata/SpeciesAccounts/SpeciesDetail.cfm?TaxaID=7

Yellow-rumped Warbler taking a break during migration.

Belted Kingfishers feed almost entirely on aquatic prey, diving to catch fish and crayfish with their long, heavy bill. 

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

Greater Yellowlegs are sometimes called Telltale, Tattler, and Yelper, all of which refer to their harsh sounding alarm calls. They can be found in mudflats and shallow marshes during spring and fall migration.

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

Our second stop was at the Marthaville Habitat Management Area where we found several Autumn Meadowhawks in mating wheels.

Great Plains Ladies' Tresses

 Northern Leopard Frogs

Work began in 2024 at the Marthaville Habitat Management Area to remove  Phragmites australis. It is an aggressive plant (originating from Eurasia) that spreads quickly and outcompetes most native species, resulting in a complete takeover of the habitat. This photo was taken on September 26, 2025. The removal project is continuing in 2025.

https://www.scrca.on.ca/property-closure-at-marthaville-habitat-management-area/#:~:text=The%20Marthaville%20Habitat%20Management%20Area%20will%20continue%20to,on%20a%20water%20control%20structure%20at%20that%20time.

Insects are incredibly talented when it comes to making their own shelters! The two leaves in the picture appear to have been stitched together with white thread to form a type of "tent" for the occupant.