Variety of Wildlife Found July 1-5, 2019

I was out to different areas in London this past week.  I was mainly looking for butterflies and dragonflies.  I'm aware of the birds around me but I'm mainly concentrating on insects.  I'm finding it's not easy finding butterflies so far.  Some areas I didn't see any butterflies at all! 

Butterfly Milkweed

There was a long grassy area I was looking at when this huge raccoon came out and walked to the other side of the walkway and down to the river. It was huge!  Back looking around at the long grass area for butterflies....I turned to go back and there was a White-tailed Deer standing there staring at me!  It startled me!  The deer went on down to the river.  It was really nice seeing the raccoon and deer but found no butterflies.

Raccoon

White tailed Deer

Great Blue Heron

I look for flowers too.

Purple-flowered Raspberry

Chicory

Mallards

Eastern Pondhawk

The next two butterflies are lifers for me.

Little Wood Satyr

Northern Pearly-eye

I haven't seen too many Cabbage Whites so far.  I hope to find more butterflies this coming week.

Cabbage White

Common Ringlet

Painted Turtles

Blue Dasher

Northern Flicker

This is the only butterfly I'm seeing a lot of....Common Crescent.

Common Crescent

Widow Skimmer

Common Whitetail

Blue-fronted Dancer

Bog Walk

Sifton Bog - Thursday, June 27, 2019

I went for a walk this morning to see what was around in the bog.  The birds I saw were Song Sparrows singing, Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, American Goldfinches, American Robins, a Mallard, a Turkey Vulture flew over, a Baltimore Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Doves, Common Grackles, Northern Cardinals, and some House Sparrows.

I was concentrating more on looking for dragonflies and butterflies.  I saw a few Dot-tailed Whitefaces around.  I didn't see any butterflies. 

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Lots of the Pond Lilies are up and some are blooming. 

I found a little group of Painted turtles. 

Painted Turtles

Leatherleaf

The Green Frogs were croaking away. 

Green Frog

I found some lovely orchids.

Rose Pogonia

Tuberous Grass-Pink

Yellow Pond Lily

On my way back, I went down a little trail to the swamp area. I was looking at a Mallard when I saw movement behind the tree trunks.  I didn't have my camera ready and I couldn't believe it....a Red Fox came out in the open...my lovely blurry photo below.

Then he sauntered away into the low shrubbery.  I managed a couple more photos.

Sightings in Thames River

I have been walking along the Thames River recently and found some turtles basking on rocks at the middle of the river.  Where I was standing they were far away so I tried taking photos of them the best I can.  The photos are blurry.

I first saw two turtles on the rocks.  The Northern Map Turtle. 

With my camera, I zoomed out and saw another turtle to the left.  It was a huge turtle. 

I zoomed in on the turtle and it was quite relaxed basking in the sun. 

I zoomed in more and I was surprised to see a Spiny Softshell Turtle.  It must be a female because of the size.  I've  never seen one so big!
Federally they are Endangered, Provincially they are Threatened. 

I walked on the walkway to try to get closer but it was difficult because of the trees, bushes and thick leaves.  I managed to get a photo with the turtle facing me.

Further along the river, I found more Northern Map Turtles.