Diario de drew_baxter

An interesting article from the NY Times:

Scientists Find First Evidence That Butterflies Crossed an Ocean - Researchers discovered painted ladies on a South American beach and then built a case that they started their journey in Europe or Africa.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/science/butterflies-ocean-migration.html

The summer solstice happens at 4:51 p.m. ET, according to the National Weather Service: https://www.npr.org/2024/06/20/nx-s1-5013295/summer-solstice-2024-early

There was a big thunderstorm in the early morning hours. I heard thunder and saw lightning flashes at about 3:15 AM ET which promoted me to furl and stow the umbrella on the upper terrace in case of high winds. In the afternoon, on my walk along the David Balfour Park Trail and the Park Drive Reservation Trail, I noticed signs on extensive flooding along Yellow Creek, including debris clogging the culvert leading to the underground portion of the creek south of the CPR viaduct and the grate at the entrance to the culvert at the foot of Milkmen’s Road. The storm produced a real gully washer of a flood !

A very foggy morning with no breeze. Lake very calm.

We drove to the visitor centre and took the shuttle to the Tip where we saw cormorants flying overhead and gulls and terns on the beach. No pelicans today.

Then a walk along West Beach where we saw a Northern Crescent and a Soldier Fly.

Then back to the cottage for lunch.

Back out to Northwest Beach at 3:30 PM in brilliant sunshine with calm air.

I encountered a Red Spotted Admiral puddling in the north parking lot of the Marsh Boardwalk Trail.

I walked south along the seasonal footpath south of the parking lot serving Northwest Baech to the walkout to the portion of the shore called “the Dunes”.

Blue dasher at entrance to the seasonal footpath that leads south from the parking lot for Northwest Beach.

Lots of Azures on the False Indigo Bush and an 8 Spotted Moth as well.

Lots of dragonflies: Eatsern Pondhawk, Blue Dashers, and one big beautiful but dragonfly, caramel with brown spotted wings that turned out to be a Painted Skimmer (LibelLula semifasciata).

I also saw a big green dragonfly that I think was a Common Green Darner.

Lots of butterflies: Azures, Satyrs, and a Question Mark.

More Eastern Pricklypear Cactuses.

Then back north through the savanna close to the beach where I saw a few dragonflies with black bodies and black saddlebags flying around.

At 5 PM, I passed a tree filled with butterflies and bugs, probably a Hopwood.

Viceroy, Question Mark, Red Admiral and Red-spotted Admiral.

And Eastern Pondhawks and Eastern Giant Swallowtails.

After supper, we drove back to the Marsh Boardwalk Trail for a final circuit. No swans or beavers this time. Instead, we saw a female Wood Duck.

Rain overnight. Strong winds from the south created waves with whitecaps that crashed against the rock retaining wall noisily and splashed water onto the porch. The rain let up around 9AM and the skies gradually lightened and the porch dried off.

We drove to the DeLaurier Homestead at 11 AM and walked the 1 km trail around the homestead. Best sighting of the trip was the Northern Flicker on a post at the exit from the parking lot.

Fish and onion rings for lunch from Ship Ahoy. Perch and smelts.

Then back to the Park at 1:30 PM where we parked the car at Northwest Beach and walked south along the seasonal footpath that parallels the Centennial Trail. Lots of Eastern Giant Swallowtails and dragonflies, including Eastern Pondhawks and a Common Whitetail.

An evening walk on the Marsh Boardwalk Trail at 7 PM. We saw beavers swimming and swans swimming.

We drove to the Visitor Centre where we parked and boarded the shuttle that conveys visitors to the Tip Trail which we walked along to reach the southernmost tip of the point where we saw lots of shore birds: 20 (or more) American White Swans and many more gulls on the shore and in the water and a few cormorants flying west. We walked north along the beach on the east side of the point and encountered a Eastern Tiger Butterfly that was being buffeted by the light easterly breeze as it was “puddling” on the beach. On the seasonal footpath leading back to the Visitors Centre, we recorded the call of a Carolina Wren.

We drove back to the cottage for lunch after which we went back to the Centennial Trail leading south from Northwest Beach to look for more butterflies and dragonflies.

After dinner, we drove to the Marsh Boardwalk and saw a beaver slipping into the water as we approached on the boardwalk. Lots of red-winged blackbirds, too.

Morning:

Northwest Beach: Eastern Giant Swallowtail and Summer Azure. Barn Swallows perching on the roof of the pavilion and American White Pelicans wheeling high overhead, Wild Turkey climbing the bank on the north side of the access road.

Then off to the Visitor Centre where we followed the Shuster Trail to the eastern shore. High water levels prevented us from walking along the shore. Next we walked along the Woodland Nature Trail behind the Visitor Centre where we saw more “hoary puccoon” and eastern prickly pear cactus.

Afternoon:

We parked in the parking lot at the Marsh Boardwalk and walked south along the “seasonal footpath” that parallels the Centennial Trail south of Northwest Beach. The trail passes first through savanna and then woodland. The savanna portion featured lots of butterflies and dragonflies. The woodland portion was less interesting so we walked back along the Centennial Trail and saw a few butterflies.

Evening:

We walked along the Marsh Boardwalk at 8:00 pm. Two swans and a beaver swimming on the east side. A beaver under the boardwalk on the west side.

Clear skies but fresh air and a breeze from the north, so walking on the Centennial Trail was very comfortable. High temperature was 20C.

I walked from 992 Point Pelee Drive to Marsh Trail, around the trail and back: 10.5 km (14,000 steps).

At Northwest Beach, an Eastern Giant Swallowtail and two, possibly 3, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails at the south end. Also, a Red Admiral. At the north end, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and a Hobomok Skipper. Northwest Beach is at the south end of the lakeshore savannah.

At Marsh Trail, an Azure feeding on the flower of a white clover. Also a damselfly on the boardwalk. Turtles and two swans.

At the loop at the head of the Centennial Trail near the Park entrance, an Anglewing.

Along Point Pelee Drive on the trip back, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Lots of damselflies and marsh flies along the portion of the Centennial Trail in the shaded woodland. Also, some small common eastern bumble bees.

Lots of robins, red-winged blackbirds and starlings. Also, eastern prickly pear cactus and hoary puccoon.

A pair of cardinals on the lawn beside the Pricefield Road playground.

Several European Common Blue butterflies feeding on yellow flowers blooming on the north side of the lane to the north of Mathersfield Drive.

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in the trees behind the Roxborough Parkette where I also saw four grosbeaks and a red tailed hawk.

Milkweed growing alongside the Park Drive Reservation Trail.

A dragonfly flying high over my head along the Rosedale Valley Road.

Milkweed in the community garden opposite 130 Rosedale Valley Road.

Milkweed growing

Rainy and windy today with a high of just 45F. No observations.

Tuesday April 16, 2024 A bright sunny day with a high temperature of 14 C.

Sightings: Red Admirals (many), an American Lady, a couple of Mourning Cloaks, a European Common Blue (male), a Cabbage White and three Two-spotted Bumble Bees (in the garden on the east side of David A. Balfour Park).