The skipper too

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Comma Polygonia comma

Least Skipper Ancyloxypha numitor

June Moon

Randomly saw Frecce Tricolori flying by the other day

'Quiet Place' in NDG, June 28, 2024

  Several Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos heard, with an additional Warbling Vireo heard from a tree above a busy boulevard. An Eastern Phoebe still busily gathering food for a perhaps unseen nest. Got a new butterfly species, Least Skipper, neat. Fresh and sunny, 17 species in 90 minutes.

Lachine Canal, June 18, 2024 (The hirundine five)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
(getting rid of a fecal sac)

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
(with fecal sac)

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia

American Robin Turdus migratorius

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens

Gadwall Anas strepera

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

  Popped over to the Lachine Canal with George to check on the hirundine situation, and we were pleasantly surprised to find five species of swallow. Sweet!

  The media has been shrieking about a dangerous heat wave this week, but it honestly wasn’t that bad out. Weather panic! Cooling back down tomorrow.

  Bank Swallows (aka Sand Martins) were zipping in and out of cracks in the canal wall, with every second bird carrying out fecal sacs (for nest sanitation and so as to not attract the attention of predators). My faves were the Northern Rough-winged Swallows, been a while since I’ve clapped peepers on one.

  Lots of young birds out and about.

  30 species in 2.5 hours.

YEWA in the city

Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella

Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Urban Yellow Warbler habitat

Urban Yellow Warbler habitat

Black Firefly Lucidota atra

Just a silly cloud I liked

  I was surprised to hear a Yellow Warbler briefly singing from a tree outside my window on June 10. That was actually my first-of-year YEWA – shows that I haven’t been near any water this spring. On June 11 it was heard singing from a tiny patch of reeds next to a busy highway nearby. It was heard again on the afternoon of June 15. It doesn’t stick around long enough to be seen – it seems to be moving between the various scrubby patches in the armpits of all four corners of a highway overpass. ‘Sub-optimal’ habitat for sure.

—

  While reading on my porch on the afternoon of June 13, several Black Fireflies drifted past me, and/or hung out on the porch. I checked later that night, but didn’t see any lit up, as I reckon it was too chilly for them. It’s about to heat up though.

—

  On June 15, not much at my patch — 13 species in 90 minutes. The lovely tall grass field that was jam-packed with dragonflies and butterflies has been mowed down to the dirt. An Eastern Phoebe was seen still busily catching insects, hopefully it’s got nestlings somewhere. Several Red-eyed Vireos heard, but no Warbling Vireos.

Dragonfly watching

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax
(Pups)

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata

Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa

Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella

Prince Baskettail Epitheca cynosure

Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus

Common Ringlet Coenonympha tullia

Moth sp. (ID pending)

‘Quiet Place’ in NDG, June 8, 2024

  And now back to our regularly-scheduled Groundhog pics of the week. Please enjoy responsibly.

  The Eastern Phoebe nest from last week appears abandoned, with large dirty cobwebs hanging over the top for dramatic effect. Still one Eastern Phoebe in the area though, circling the area and singing…for a mate that will never return/arrive? Sad if true.

  In perhaps related news, there was a Cooper’s Hawk nearby, as well as an American Crow that appeared to be trying to raid a Black-capped Chickadee nest.

  One or two Eastern Wood-pewees were still singing from the treetops, as well as a good half-dozen Red-eyed Vireos. No Warbling Vireos heard at their spot today, but it was pretty windy.

  A two-hour bimble produced 17 bird species, but more noteworthy were the other winged critters. Five different species of dragonfly were spotted in a field of chest-high grass, two of which were new for me (IDs solid, but still tentative). There was also some interesting butterfly activity.

  What else? I’ve been watching (on a flight tracking app) a steady stream of private jets come and go for the past two days, for Formula 1 weekend. Nose-to-tail all day long, a never-ending stream. Yay.