My first Upland Sandpiper

Last night I drove SW of Strathroy to see if I could spy one of the Dickcissels or Bobwhites recently sighted.  I had little light left by the time I set out, so there was little searching time.   I didn't see the target birds, but ended up instead getting some terrific views of two upland sandpipers.

Northern Watersnake and Butterflies at the Pinery Provincial Park

We saw this Northern Watersnake while counting butterflies at Pinery.  At first glance it looks like a Fox Snake, but the lack of copper colouration on the head, and the blotches that go all the way around the snake differentiate the species.

Clockwise from left to right: Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly, Hobomonk Skipper, Red-spotted Purple, unknown, Northern Pearly-eye, Little Wood-satyr, Tiger Swallowtail

Rare Mussels of the Sydenham

Today I took the Freshwater Mussel ID Course in the Sydenham River.  I got to spend almost the whole day racooning for mussels.  In total we saw more than 20 of the 34 species know to exist in the river.  After seeing these mussels first-hand, I believe the Sydenham truly is the crown jewel of Ontario rivers.

Clockwise from top left: Purple Wartyback, Kidneyshell, Rayed Bean attached to a Flutedshell, Black Sandshell, Salamander Mussel and another Purple Wartyback.

Mussels have have a complex lifecycle in which some rely on specific hosts and specialized lures. 

Mussel Love

Snuffbox Captures Host
There is some speculation that the logperch's  (the glochidia host pictured below) tough skull may be a result of co-evolution with the snuffbox mussel.  Other non-host darters have softer skulls.

Wavy-rayed Lampmussel lures
This mussel is no longer found in the Sydenham.  Although, there is still a thriving population in the Thames.  One possible explanation for dissapearance from the Sydenham is that the dispesal of the species require clear water due to the vision-based lure.  I have seen many of these lures up-close since my uncle happens to back onto the Thames River mussel bed where this species flourishes.

Crayfish lure

More information:

Sydenham Mussels

Information on the "mussel crisis":

The Mussel Crisis

I enjoyed myself so much I completely forgot about the solstice until about 9pm.   I can't help thinking it's all downhill for a half year.  Spring is officially over. Jake thinks I am crazy for getting bummed out about this every year.  I agree I may spent too much time dreading winter/ wishing it away.

Birds and other things at Newport Forest, Wardsville

Kee and I spent a lovely (drizzly) afternoon at Newport. We agreed to suck up the poor weather and nettle stings in order to study rare plants on the property.  We were rewarded for sticking it out many times over.  We agreed in the end that the rain actually added to the trip, especially when the sun finally came out and made everything sparkle. Below are some of my photos from the day.


Sparrows of the Upper Meadow

Warning: I am no good at sparrows, only just starting to learn.  Please let me know if you think any of these IDs/guesses are off. 

Best Guess ID: From top left corner, clockwise Song, Song, Field, Song, Chipping, Song

Immature Orchard Oriole (?)

Other sights: 

Bird list from Newport

• Indigo Bunting
• Turkey Vulture
• American Robin
• Northern Cardinal
• Brown Thrasher
• Song Sparrow
• Field Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Blue Jay
• Eastern Pheobe
• Catbird
• Mallard
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• American Crow
• Orchard Oriole
• Tree Swallow
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Northern Flicker

Birds at the Strathroy Sewage Lagoons

From left to right clockwise: Wood Ducks, Mallard, Song Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Grey Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Cedar Waxwing.

Spotted Sandpiper

Jake the Birder

Today Jake and I went birding.  Most of our birds were seen from the car as we did a giant loop starting in Strathroy, heading first SW to Alvinston then down to Rondeau.  In total we got 30 birds. We also spied 5 Spiny Softshells, 3 Northern Maps.  We stopped at Parks Blueberries (they are all out of strawberries) and Munroe Honey.  We walked the Tulip Trail at Rondeau, stopping to marvel at one of the largest tulip trees I have ever seen.

1. Horned Lark
2. Song Sparrow
3. Savannah Sparrow
4. Eastern Meadowlark
5. Red-Breasted Grosbeak
6. Great Blue Heron
7. Baltimore Oriole
8. Ring-billed Gull
9. Barn Swallow
10. Catbird
11. Purple Finch
12. Hairy Woodpecker
13. Downy Woodpecker
14. Yellow Warbler
15. Blue Jay
16. Cardinal
17. Robin
18. Mourning Dove
19. Red-winged Blackbird
20. Thrasher
21. Wild Turkey
22. Turkey Vulture
23. Domestic Ducks
24. Grackle
25. Goldfinch
26. Crow
27. Eastern Kingbird
28. Rock Dove 
29. Killdeer
30. Starling

Work in Progress - Rainbow Warrior Painting

The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, codenamed Opération Satanique, was an operation by the "action" branch of the French foreign intelligence services, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE), carried out on July 10, 1985. It aimed to sink the flagship of the Greenpeace fleet, the Rainbow Warrior in the port of Auckland, New Zealand, to prevent her from interfering in a nuclear test in Moruroa.

Two DGSE divers beneath the Rainbow Warrior attached two limpet mines and detonated them 10 minutes apart. The first bomb went off 11:38 P.M., creating a large hole about the size of an average car.  The captain, Pete Willcox, and many other crew members were already asleep. A few others, including the photographer Fernando Pereira, were still chatting around the mess-room table, sharing between them the last two bottles of beer.

France, being an ally of New Zealand, initially denied involvement and joined in condemnation of what it termed to be a terrorist act. The French Embassy in Wellington denied involvement, stating that "the French Government does not deal with its opponents in such ways".

Fernando Pereira, a  photographer, drowned on the sinking ship. Two French agents were arrested by the New Zealand Police on passport fraud and immigration charges. They were charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, willful damage, and murder. The scandal resulted in the resignation of the French Defence Minister Charles Hernu.

The Rainbow Warrior was named after a North American Cree Indian prophecy: “When the world is sick and dying, the people will rise up like Warriors of the Rainbow…”

 

Getting closer to being finished..

Frog Research in Strathroy

Measuring and collection data on Northern Leopard Frogs.

Tuesday to Friday I helped researchers from Laurentian University seek frogs for research.     They are studying two frog diseases:  Chytrid Fungus http://www.amphibianark.org/the-crisis/chytrid-fungus/  and Ranavirus (http://savethefrogs.com/chytrid/ranavirus/index.html). 



It made for long days, as we searched well past sunset with headlamps, mostly ignoring our hungry stomaches until when were able to eat at around 11pm.   The hunt started again each day at 5 or 6 am.   The sewage lagoons took on a new feel.  The stillness after sunset and the thousands of fireflies made it easy to imagine I was somewhere much more wild.


We had a hard time finding Northern Leopard Frogs outside of breeding season. We re-named them Leprechaun Frogs for their ability to act like little magicians.  One moment they are in your hand, the next they have vanished.  Multiple times both of us watched a frog get trapped under cupped hands and then disappear without any sign.


We found finding frogs on windy days next to impossible.  Maybe because they are less active, but possibly a greater factor is that movement is the main cue for finding them. They were best sought at sunrise and sunset on calm, cloudy, humid days.  Rain mades it very hard to find frog for the same reason as  wind - droplets of rain on blades of grass looks a lot like the movement of a frog. 



It was evident that frogs in this area are impacted by disease.  There were many grey or red spots over the pale bellies and legs of the animals. It is no surprise that they have a tough go.  Many times I see these frog sitting on algal blooms instead of lily pads.  IN our area they keep company with Chinese Mystery Snail, Red-eared Sliders, Phragmites and many other non-native invaders and aquarium escapees.  

This is the first year of a four year study in which researchers plan to come back to our area at least three more times.  We will have to wait on their findings.  In the mean time, I am glad that someone is looking into stressors on these wonderful little creatures. 

Thanks to Dave S. and Kim G. for passing on information on where to find frogs.  



Note:  We didn't collect or harm any frog in the process and were very careful to sterilize every piece of equipment. We also had many permits and permissions relating to this research.