Columbia Lake and Mike Schout Wetlands Preserve

 01 October, 2023

Columbia Lake, Waterloo, ON

     

     My daughter, Caroline, and son-in-law, Andrew, were visiting from Ottawa and we decided to make Columbia Lake our morning destination. 

     A wonderful stand of Pannicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum) was there to welcome us.

     A Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens), as all frogs are wont to do, did its best to conceal itself so as not attract attention from would-be predators, unable to know that this group of human admirers simply rejoiced in its company.

     The vegetation is very dense at this time of the year, but we bushwhacked on through, stalwart adventurers that we are!

     This snag was the favourite perch of Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) and American Robins (Turdus migratorius).

     The flickers are certainly preparing to move south, but so many robins spend the winter with us in recent years, who knows whether these birds will leave or choose to stay?

     Northern Flicker in our part of the world is the yellow-shafted variant, clearly visible in the picture below.

     Nothing causes the maple leaf imprinted on my Canadian heart to flutter so resolutely as a flock of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), and to watch them come in to land is a spectacle as fine as any you ever saw, and there is never a charge for admission.

     Edna Vincent Millay said, "I looked in my heart while the wild swans went over." I will take the liberty of changing swans to geese, (although the Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus), spring and fall, initiate the same reaction), and she has captured my contentment perfectly.

     Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) seem to have become ever more abundant.

     Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) is always a delightful discovery.

     This nest of Aerial Yellowjackets (genus Dolichovespula), a eusocial species, would have been aggressively defended when the combs were full of helpless eggs, larvae and pupae. Now it stands empty, a silent reminder of what has been and what will be again.

     What would a family get-together be without a picture or two?

     Several Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) were seen, always exhibiting the patience required to secure a meal.

     On this occasion they were joined by their close relative, the Great Egret (Ardea alba).

     I am still taken aback when I reflect on the past, when all too familiar human profligacy and detestable greed, drove this species to the brink of extinction to satisfy the demands of the millinery trade for egret feathers.

     I swear I felt my heart flutter as another flock of Canada Geese joined us.

     Diminutive Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) perhaps appeared in honour of my daughter!

     I have little knowledge of grasshoppers, but that does nothing to dilute my enthusiasm for them, and I relish the challenge in trying to identify them. I am pretty sure that the following individual is a species of Short-horned Grasshopper (family Acrididae).

     A Red-legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum) is a little more familiar.

     The colours of fall are really starting to dominate the landscape.

    Having favourite flowers is a bit of a mug's game, since it is bound to constantly change, and often the most cherished is the one I am admiring at the moment. New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) would be high on my list, however.

     Canada Geese and a Great Egret make a handsome pairing when seen together.

     Mallards (Anas platyrynchos), no matter how familiar, never lose their charm.

     Here they are with their smaller cousins, Green-winged Teal.

     It seems that we weren't the only ones enjoying a family get-together this weekend.

Mike Schout Wetlands Preserve, New Hamburg, ON

     After lunch we decided out to head to the Mike Schout Wetland, a location new to Andrew and Caroline.

     You may not wish to develop an intimate association with a Dark Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus), but it's hard to deny that it's a very handsome insect.

     For your viewing pleasure, I present a Common Flesh Fly (genus Sarcophaga).

     This is a widespread genus where adults are homogeneous in their morphology and often not recognizable at the species level by visual inspection alone. 

     A Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) was quite predictable.

     Perennial Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis) is right at the end of its season, but will continue to provide rich seeds for granivorous birds.

     The day was unseasonably hot, but the approach of fall inexorably advances along the Nith River.

     A couple of captivating and highly energized young children were anxious to tell us what they had seen, and couldn't resist a glimpse through Caroline's binoculars.

     I wonder if they saw this Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) looking very splendid in the bright sunlight?

     Hairy White Oldfield Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) was dotted here and there.

     There were many Western Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) still industriously gathering nectar and the last of of the pollen still being produced.

     A Common Cluster Fly (Pollenia rudis) rounded out our sightings for the day.

     It was great to share it all with Caroline and Andrew.

WRN Outing to Mike Schout Wetlands Preserve, New Hamburg, ON

15 October, 2023

     This outing was originally scheduled for 14 October when in excess of thirty enthusiastic naturalists had signed up for the event, but rain cancelled our plans, and the walk was shunted to the next day. Inevitably, that didn't work for some, but a good group joined me anyway.

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Members: Miriam Bauman, Linda Bree, Sharon Dillon-Martin, Mike Duchene, Beth Hobson, Roddie Hornby, Vashti Latchman, Curtiss MacDonald, Anne Morgan, Audrey Nichols,  Tracey Rayner, Andrea Smith, Sophie Wilson, Kathy Waybrand  

Guests: Carolyn Hay, Felix Lawson, Calvin Mills

Tracey, Andrea, Sophie, Beth, Calvin, Sharon, Felix, David, Anne, Mike, Kathy, Curtiss, Linda, Carolyn, Reya, Roddie, Vashti

     We are at that time of the year when most of the migrants have departed and many of the winter species have not yet arrived, or have barely put in their first appearance, so the birding, while satisfying, was not terrific. The visit was always intended, however, for people to become acquainted with the wetland, and that goal was certainly accomplished.

     Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) were the only ducks on the water.

     It is undeniable that Common Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) is uncommonly beautiful, with lavender to pink flowers in season, but it is aggressive and invasive, and the people who manage the wetland will have to be vigilant to ensure that it does not take over.

     Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) were present in substantial numbers, forming large flocks and preparing for migration. 

     I don't think we need to be reminded that this is an exceedingly handsome bird, (familiarity does not breed contempt), and we are very lucky to share our world with blackbirds.

     An adult Bald Eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus), high overhead, pleased everyone - eagles have a way of doing that!

     I am not especially tall, but this gives you a good idea of the height that Late Goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) can attain.

     Enjoying each other's company, we ambled slowly along the boardwalk, stopping to talk about anything that captured our interest.

     A snoozing female Mallard very kindly showed us her iridescent purple-blue speculum, boldly bordered in white.

     Even on a mostly dull fall day, a wetland pond is both interesting and possessed of its own beauty.

     Curtiss looks quite pensive; contemplating the meaning of life perhaps.

     I am sure he will let us know if he comes up with an answer!

     Myrtle Warbler (Steophaga cononata) was seen quite frequently, but rarely well.

     This is the hardiest of all the warblers and the one that lingers with us after most others have departed.

     On the odd occasion when the clouds parted to permit the sun to shine through, the colours of fall seemed quite splendid.

     An American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) probed at the water's edge for seeds.

     A little farther on, a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) was no less industrious.

     The work of the Goldenrod Gall Fly (Eurosta solidaginis) was on display for all to see.

     As a fall adornment on a trunk, Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

     Several times we saw migrating raptors overhead, all very high, however, and beyond the range of our cameras. This Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) was the lone exception.

     American Robins (Turdus migratorius) were either migrating, or checking for a sheltered winter territory. These days, it's hard to tell.

     We proceeded onwards, nearing the end of the wetlands (the trail is a loop).

     It was just as well, as the clouds were beginning to look quite ominous.

     These pods of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) have still not burst open to disperse their seeds; no doubt it will happen soon.

     A few late-blooming Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) still radiated colour in a predominantly dun landscape; who could not feel a sense of joy in the presence of such enduring beauty?

     And a single Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) stood proud and tall, the very last of its kind to bloom this year (at least that we saw). 

     Its alternative common name is Queen Anne's Lace, and perhaps it's more fitting to refer to it by that name on a day like today. To have been bid farewell by Queen Anne's Lace seems altogether grand to me. Perhaps it does to you too!