2025 (Part 2)

April 

April is one of my favourite months of the year. The birds are migrating back, the ephemeral wildflowers are pushing through the soil, and the sounds of Spring Peepers, Wood Frogs and Western Chorus Frogs emanate from wetlands that are bursting forth with new life. April hits a little harder after you have spent the previous four months slogging through a tough Canadian winter. Even though my travels to Ecuador and Colombia in recent months had provided a needed jolt of warmth and biodiversity, it only partially dulled April's healing forces. It still is wonderful to feel that first warm spring breeze, or hear the peepers and chorus frogs, or marvel at the new bird arrivals nearly every day. 

Laura and I made it out to some ponds near Cambridge one evening to watch the antics of mating Spotted Salamanders. Normally things are wrapping up by early April, but the cooler weather had prolonged the salamander season and we had a very productive visit. I chased a few birds throughout the month, including a Barnacle Goose and Loggerhead Shrike in the east end of Hamilton, a Tufted Duck in Erieau, an American Avocet in Caledon, a Pink-footed Goose in Wasaga Beach and a Glossy Ibis at Grimsby. 

On April 13 I lucked out and discovered a Neotropic Cormorant while leading a private birding tour at Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto. This was a new addition to the all-time list for Tommy Thompson. By the end of the month I found myself in the Point Pelee area where I would be based for several weeks. A burst of warm southern winds in late April brought the first pulse of Neotropical migrants - it's always a treat to be watching warblers, Eastern Whip-poor-wills and White-eyed Vireos in April! One highlight in particular was seeing an April 28th Olive-sided Flycatcher; one of the earliest records for the province.   

Barnacle Goose - Hamilton

Red-spotted Newt - North Dumfries, Waterloo Region

Spotted Salamander - North Dumfries, Waterloo Region

Four-toed Salamander - North Dumfries, Waterloo Region

Tufted Duck - Erieau, Chatham-Kent

leucistic American Robin - Niagara-on-the-lake, Niagara Region

Dark-eyed Junco - Burlington, Halton Region

Tree Swallow - Tommy Thompson Park, City of Toronto

Neotropic Cormorant - Tommy Thompson Park, City of Toronto

Blue-winged Teals - Tommy Thompson Park, City of Toronto 

Glossy Ibis - Grimsby, Niagara Region

Wood Duck - Burlington, Halton Region

White-eyed Vireo - 40 Mile Creek, Grimsby, Niagara Region

Devil's Punchbowl Conservation Area, City of Hamilton

Olive-sided Flycatcher - Point Pelee, Essex County

Eastern Whip-poor-will - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Yellow-breasted Chat - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Blackburnian Warbler - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

May 

May is always a very busy time of year and the days seem to fly by. One minute you are marvelling at the first waves of migrating warblers trying to stay warm and find insects to eat in single-digit temperatures, the next you are struggling to find late migrants like Blackpoll and Canada Warblers singing away from dense green foliage during a warm morning that feels more like summer.

This year was as busy as ever for me as I led birding tours at various locations in southwestern Ontario on many days. I also took time for my own contemplative birding, mainly on Pelee Island. By the second half of the month I had left the Point Pelee area behind as it was time to get cracking on some fieldwork contracts. 

I didn't add any new birds to my Ontario list this May but still managed to catch up with some rare species. My "best" find was probably a Neotropic Cormorant carrying nesting material on Pelee Island, as this was the first documented nesting evidence of this southern species for Ontario. Who knows where it was nesting - perhaps Middle Island? Other nice birds that I saw in May included a Brown Pelican in Fort Erie, Henslow's Sparrow in Norfolk County, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers at both Point Pelee and Long Point, two Franklin's Gulls at the tip of Point Pelee, and a nice male Prairie Warbler that I found while leading a tour of the Carden Alvar. May never ceases to amaze!

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Eastern Gartersnake - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton

Summer Tanager - Woodland Cemetery, Hamilton

Red-necked Grebe - Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto

Gray-cheeked Thrush - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Magnolia Warbler - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County

Piping Plover - Wasaga Beach, Simcoe County

Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon) - Carden Alvar, Kawartha Lakes 

Pine Warbler - Carden Alvar, Kawartha Lakes

The southern tip of Fish Point, Pelee Island, Essex County

Neotropic Cormorant - Pelee Island, Essex County

Eastern Foxsnake - Pelee Island, Essex County

Eastern Kingbirds - Pelee Island, Essex County

Palm Warbler - Pelee Island, Essex County 

Indigo Bunting - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton 

Goldsmith Beetle (Cotalpa lanigera) - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Ancylis albacostana - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Chinquapin Leafminer Moth (Dyseriocrania griseocapitella) - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - Wilson Tract, Norfolk County

Bald Eagle - Zion Rd, Chatham-Kent

Ruddy Turnstone - Pelee Island, Essex County

Ring-necked Pheasant - Pelee Island, Essex County

Philadelphia Vireo - Pelee Island, Essex County

Brant - Burlington, Halton Region

June and July 

I probably averaged more hours per day outside during June and July than any other month of the year, but I have comparatively fewer photo highlights. Like previous years, I tried to maximize the amount of time that I spent working during these months. As an ecologist-for-hire, there is unlimited work during the Breeding Bird Season and fewer opportunities the rest of the year. This year, all of my job sites were in southern Ontario, and on most days I did not carry a camera since I was focused on work. I spent a lot more time botanizing than ever before with a particular focus on sedges and ferns. Laura joined me on one work trip to the Port Severn area and we did a little exploring afterwards, finding her lifer Prairie Warbler in that general area. 

There is so much life during late spring and early summer and I try to take advantage of this when I can. Mothing opportunities were fewer than I would have liked - late nights spent mothing are not conducive to getting up early for bird surveys - but I managed on a few occasions. 

I really got into dragonflies and damselflies this year and enjoyed the learning process. I tried to target certain species after finishing my morning bird surveys and was moderately successful, though I missed quite a few as well. But that's ok, it will give me a lot to focus on in 2026!

Eastern Red Damsel (Amphiagrion saucium) - Fletcher Creek, Wellington County

River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis) - Glenorchy Conservation Area, Halton Region

Serrate Dark Fishfly (Nigronia serricornis) - Glenorchy Conservation Area, Halton Region

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer (Saperda candida) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Silver-spotted Ghost Moth (Sthenopis argenteomaculatus) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Owl-eyed Bird Dropping Moth (Cerma cora) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Io Moth (Automeris io) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

American White Pelicans - Brantford, Brant County

Prairie Warbler - Big Chute, Muskoka District

Virginia Chainfern (Woodwardia virginica) - Six Mile Lake Provincial Park, Muskoka District

Telamona tristis - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton

Vine Leafhopper (Erythroneura vitifex) - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton

Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria (Laphria thoracica) - Falkirk Woods, Hamilton

Violet Coral Fungus (Clavaria zollingeri) - Sudden Tract, Waterloo Region

Lobesia spiraeae - Sudden Tract, Waterloo Region

Gallinipper Mosquito (Psorophora ciliata) - Sudden Tract, Waterloo Region

Sparganothis flavibasana - Sudden Tract, Waterloo Region

Orange Stripe-backed Moth (Battaristis vittella) - Hamilton

Striped Blister Beetle (Epicauta vittata) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Cagiva cephalanthana - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Pawpaw Sphinx (Dolba hyloeus) - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Catocala gracilis - Ruigrok Tract, Haldimand County

Ophiderma grisea - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia miniata) - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Red Oak Borer (Enaphalodes rufulus) - St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Norfolk County

Charming Underwing (Catocala blandula) - Innisfil, Simcoe County

Fraternal Potter Wasp (Eumenes fraternus) - Innisfil, Simcoe County

August

Upon the conclusion of my busy field season I took a week for a solo car-camping trip to far northeastern Ontario and back. Ostensibly my main goal of this trip was to look for rare northern dragonflies and moths, but it was also an opportunity to get away from the busyness of life and soak in the sights and sounds of the boreal forest. The trip was a definite success. I found around 250 moth species including quite a few that have only a couple of previous Ontario records (mainly from lack of surveying this far up north). I connected with a couple of new butterflies for my Ontario list including Arctic Fritillary and Northern Blue. I located over 50 species of odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) including rare species like Quebec Emerald, Canada Whiteface, Alkali Bluet and Boreal Snaketail. And there were countless other highlights, including an encounter with a Canada Lynx at dusk along the Detour Lake Road. 

Otherwise, I stayed fairly close to home in August as I still had some fieldwork commitments locally and I was keen to explore the insect and plant diversity in my "backyard", so to speak. I added a new species to my Ontario bird list, by chasing a Spotted Redshank that Cambridge birder Nathan Hood found. It was wonderful to share this bird chase with Laura as well as my parents (the redshank was in a stormwater pond just a few minutes from their house!). I also chased a Piping Plover in Fort Erie and an American Avocet in Grimsby. 

With more free time on my hands in August, I prioritized finding several later-season dragonflies that I hadn't seen up to this point. Eventually my persistence paid off when I found both Laura's Clubtail and Arrow Clubtail. 

As August progressed I turned my attention to birds once again. A productive weekend to Point Pelee at the end of the month turned up a few nice birds, including a record-early Pomarine Jaeger that Jeremy Bensette and I found. 

My final summary post will include the highlights from September through December. 

Double-striped Bluets (Enallagma basidens) - Puslinch Tract Conservation Area, Wellington County

Northern Leopard Frog - Puslinch Tract Conservation Area, Wellington County

Maple Dagger (Acronicta retardata) - Horseshoe Lake Conservation Reserve, Parry Sound District

North American River Otters - Horseshoe Lake Conservation Reserve, Parry Sound District

Alkali Bluet (Enallagma clausum) - North Bay, Nipissing District

Great Tiger Moth (Arctia caja) - Tilden Lake, Nipissing District

Hologram Moth (Diachrysia balluca) - Tilden Lake, Nipissing District

Green Comma (Polygonia faunus) - Iroquois Falls area, Cochrane District

Sweetflag Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus) - Iroquois Falls area, Cochrane District

Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta) - Iroquois Falls area, Cochrane District

Mothing along the Detour Lake Road, Cochrane District

Mosquito netting is mandatory along the Detour Lake Road!

Sandhill Knot-horn (Anerastia lotella) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Williams' Tiger Moth (Apantesis williamsii) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Virbia sp. (undescribed boreal species) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Euxoa quebecensis - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Four-spotted Ghost Moth (Sthenopis purpurascens) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Benign Deer Fly (Chrysops mitis) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Hooded Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Arctic Fritillary (Boloria chariclea) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Selfie in the Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Green Adder's Mouth (Malaxis unifolia) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Epinotia madderana - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Dysstroma suspectata - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Boreal Snaketail (Ophiogomphus colubrinus) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Lettered Habrosyne Moth (Habrosyne scripta) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Canadian Owlet (Calyptra canadensis) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Hanham's Owlet (Phalaenostola hanhami) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Ruffed Grouse - road to Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Herald Moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix) - Homuth Lake, Cochrane District

Unnamed lake near Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Arctic Fritillaries (Boloria chariclea) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Bog Sedge (Carex oligosperma) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Mustard White (Pieris oleracea) - Homuth Lake area, Cochrane District

Northern Blue (Plebejus idas) - Fraserdale, Cochrane District

Bogbean-lined creek - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Piping Plover - Fort Erie, Niagara Region

Promethea Silkmoth (Callosamia promethea) - Sudden Tract, Waterloo Region

Spotted Redshank - Cambridge, Waterloo Region

Trogus pennator - Hamilton

Small Mossy Glyph (Lithacodia musta) - Backus Woods, Norfolk County

Orange Mycena (Mycena leana) - Backus Woods, Norfolk County

Greene's Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa greenei) - Backus Woods, Norfolk County

Sora - Grimsby Wetlands, Niagara Region

Common Gallinule - Grimsby Wetlands, Niagara Region

Eastern Hornet Fly (Spilomyia longicornis) - Mount Hope, Hamilton

Parametric Paper Wasp (Polistes parametricus) - Mount Hope, Hamilton

Gnorimoschema banksiella - Ennismore, Kawartha Lakes

Common Yellowthroat - Ennismore, Kawartha Lakes

Laura's Clubtail (Stylurus laurae) - Lynedoch Creek, Norfolk County

Brown-hooded Owlet (Cucullia convexipennis) - Lynedoch Creek, Norfolk County

Atylotus bicolor - Mount Hope, Hamilton

Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps) - Sydenham River, Lambton County

Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) - Point Pelee National Park, Essex County