Happenings March 25 & 26

Hyde Park Drainage Pond - March 25, 2019

I checked out the drainage pond in Hyde Park to see what was there.  It was a nice sunny day but still a little cool 1c.  The ice has melted on the water now.  I found two Hooded Mergansers and 3 Ring-necked Ducks.  There were also some Mallards and Canada Geese.  

Hooded Mergansers

Ring-necked Ducks

I saw 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds (FOY).

Lots of Cardinals singing away.

Song Sparrows were singing too.  

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Springbank Park - March 26, 2019

Today again a nice sunny day but cool 1c.  It's nice to walk along the banks of Thames River and hearing the sounds of Spring.  Lots of Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins.  Also, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatch.  

Common Merganser

Looking down the bank of the river, I saw a groundhog scurrying along.  It stopped and I had a good opportunity to get some photos.

Hyde Park Findings

September 8, 2018

Hyde Park Drainage Pond - London, Ontario

It was a windy day today (E winds), high of 15c.  Mostly cloudy.  I went to Hyde Park to see what was around.  I wasn't expecting to see too many butterflies but I did see a few.  
Lots of Asters are blooming right now. 

Northern Crescent

There were few Monarchs around.

Birds I saw were Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Cardinals, Ring-billed Gulls, and Mallards.

Black-capped Chickadee

Double-crested Cormorant

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue

I saw a few Duskywings (Wild Indigo). Thanks for the correct ID, Blake!

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Weekend Findings - Aug 18-19, 2018

Hyde Park Drainage Pond - August 18 & 19, 2018

I go to Hyde Park, along Thames River and Springbank Park a lot because it's close to where I live.  I never get tired of these places as there is so much to see especially this time of year.  Both yesterday and today were quite warm.  

Northern Crescent

Clouded Sulphur

There were lots of Common Ringlets around.

Common Ringlet

Halloween Pennant

Widow Skimmer (male)

The pretty Eastern Tailed-Blue...it was opening its wings so I was trying to get a photo of the blue upper wings.  I got this photo and even one with the wings more open but it was blurry. 

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Lots of grasshopper species around.

Grasshopper sp.

Barn Swallows were flying around and feeding their young.

Northern Leopard Frog

Short Visit to Hyde Park

July 30, 2018 - Hyde Park Drainage Pond and Trail, London, Ontario

I decided to go back to the Hyde Park pond again.  It was later in the morning about 10:30am and getting warm 25c.  I didn't stay long.

Sulphur sp.

Common Whitetail

Halloween Pennant

(Below) I would not have seen this as I was looking for butterflies but there was a fuss of birds and a larger bird.  I watched the larger bird fly onto a distant large tree.  I was far away so I tried to take a closer picture. 

It's not a clear photo of this Green Heron.

Green Heron

Other birds I saw were Song Sparrows, Barn Swallows, Bank Swallows, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Robins, Cardinal, Mallards, Field Sparrows, Ring-billed Gull, and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Monarch

Another visit to Hyde Park

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario

A nice morning about 20c, a few clouds and a light breeze.  I saw a Monarch right away in the Bergamot flowers. 

A little further down a Great Blue Heron was resting.

I walked half way around the pond.  I heard, then saw 2 Belted Kingfishers circle around the pond a few times and flew off. 

Cabbage White

I saw more Monarchs....about 5-6 like yesterday!

Not a lot of dragonflies around.

Widow Skimmer  (male)

Monarch

Red Admiral

The Great Blue Heron flew over into the water to look for lunch.

Birds I saw were Barn Swallows, American Goldfinches, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, Song Sparrows, Robins, Cardinals, Belted Kingfishers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles and Field Sparrows.

Milkweed Pods

Viceroy