Louth Conservation Area: Revisit III

On Sunday May 3, Jean and I returned to Louth Conservation Area after missing a visit the previous weekend. We were busy adding some Boreal species to our life list.

The Trout Lily blooms were non-existent. All that remains are their brown speckled leaves. We had missed their yellow flowers deeper in the woods. It was now the Trilliums' turn to flower, their white blooms swaying in the light breeze atop the escarpment. One has to pay attention to avoid stepping on flora as they walk along the Bruce Trail.

Common Blue Violet and Downy Yellow Violet sharing the spotlight.

Though not as prevalent, Jack-in-the-Pulpit were living up to their name, standing tall over the flowering congregation.

False Solomon's Seal has started to flower (May-July) but no flowering Smooth Solomon's Seal (May-June) were found to compare the two plants from the Lily Family.

Birds were limited once again but we managed to add 2 species to the year list. A male Black-throated Green Warbler (#117) and a pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeak (#118) were seen while surveying the tree tops for activity. A Hermit Thrush was observed on the forest floor while we walked along Staff Avenue.

Returning home we would spot a lone Purple Martin (#119) flying overhead. A quick check of a nearby martin house produced no additional sightings of this species.

More warblers were encountered the day before our visit to Louth and the following weekend. Results to be posted soon.

Louth Conservation Area: Revisit II

On the afternoon of Sunday April 19, Jean and I returned to Louth Conservation Area in search of the elusive flowering Trilliums.

We were greeted by flowering Trout Lily upon entering the conservation area. Trout Lily in other parts of the woodland, with less exposure to direct sunlight, had yet to flower.

We descended the escarpment this time and continued along the Bruce Trail until we reached Louth Falls.

Looking upstream from the top of Louth Falls.

Looking downstream from the top of Louth Falls.

As you can see, the Trilliums had yet to flower on this day.

But the Hepatica were well represented.

Bird activity was low. We only found, Black-capped Chickadee (2), Downy Woodpecker (1), American Robin (6) and a flock of 50 European Starling in a nearby farmer's field.

A May visit to the conservation area is planned.

Louth Conservation Area:Revisit I

Late Sunday afternoon, Jean and I returned to Louth Conservation Area to check on the progress of the wildflowers. During our initial visit on March 28 only a small number of flowering Hepatica were found. Two weeks have passed since then and the Hepatica are becoming more apparent. The Trilliums are slowly emerging from the forest floor, some with buds that likely will flower in the next week. The only other flowering plant detected was that of a small cluster of Mayapple.

Mayapple, Louth Conservation Area, Spring of 2001

The number of bird species observed was over twice that of our last visit. So much for stating there is little activity in the conservation area. I guess I just need to visit more often?

Dark-eyed Junco were very active in the Cedars near the parking lot and a pair of White-breasted Nuthatch were seen as we started along the side trail, the male offering the female a gift in the form of a seed. Returning along the Bruce Trail, we found a pair of Brown Creeper and a Northern Flicker. Our first flicker for 2009 was observed on Good Friday while travelling a rural road from Welland to Thorold. The Bruce Trail exits the conservation area 100 metres west of the parking lot and continues west along Staff Avenue. I plan on discussing sections of the Bruce Trail east and west of Louth Conservation Area in future postings. We returned to our car, once again observing a high amount of activity in the Cedars. A pair of Golden-crowned Kinglet (#82 for the year list) were quickly jumping from branch to branch while the quietest Blue Jay ever, sat perfectly still and partially hidden from view, requiring a moment to verify the identification. Yes, there I've said it! A Blue Jay, had me guessing.

During our next visit to Louth Conservation Area, we plan on descending the escarpment to view Louth Falls and explore the trails for flowering Trilliums, the provincial flower of Ontario.

Louth Conservation Area, Spring of 2001

Fox Sparrow Hunting

Though slightly early for Fox Sparrows, Jean and I stopped at a trail where we have observed the migrating bird the last two years. The weather was sunny with the temperature in the double digits Saturday afternoon, ideal for observing the sparrow as it stops in our region before moving on to its breeding range, the Boreal Forest. On April 15, 2007 we observed 3 Fox Sparrows on the trail where Richardson's Creek empties into the west end of Martindale Pond. Last year on April 7, we observed 2 of this species in the same area of the trail they were observed the previous year.

Walking along the trail we observed two Song Sparrows and an American Tree Sparrow but no Fox Sparrows were found during our time here Saturday. Too early! It was worth a try on such a beautiful day. Before leaving the trail, we observed a very vocal Belted Kingfisher flying high above the area. The most interesting find on the Green Ribbon Trail was our first butterfly of the year, a Mourning Cloak, flying along and eventually landing in front of us on the paved trail.

Mourning Cloaks, Louth Conservation Area, Spring 2001

Inspired by a recent posting on the Nature Blog Network by the author of The Drinking Bird, I thought Jean and I should explore Louth Conservation Area for signs of spring wild flowers. En route to the conservation area we would observe an Eastern Bluebird, #74 for the year, before turning onto one of the many rural roads that ascend the Niagara Escarpment. Mental note, "Dust off the bike and start riding Bob!". Louth Conservation Area has not been very productive for birds but wild flowers abound during April and May. There were no signs of the Trilliums that will soon reveal themselves, resembling a stream of white on the forest floor.

Louth Conservation Area, Spring of 1994

Hepatica and Trout Lily are the first to appear and we found one flowering Hepatica while hiking a section of the Bruce Trail.

As with many of the conservation areas along the Niagara Escarpment, not one but two waterfalls are located on the creek that passes through Louth. We did not descend the trail that takes you to this view of Louth Falls.

We encountered two species of butterfly while hiking the trail. A Mourning Cloak and then a Comma. While browsing the web for information on the butterflies I came across this excellent Government of Canada site, Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility. I also flipped through photo albums when we got home and found images of both species of butterfly from a spring visit to Louth Conservation Area in 2001.

Eastern Comma, Louth Conservation Area, Spring 2001

We will return to the conservation area during the months of April and May so we can observe Trout Lily, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Trilliums, Dutchman's Breeches, and more Hepatica. Quite the variety along the Bruce Trail.

Returning home, we travelled along 5th Avenue to see what avian species could be found. As mentioned in previous posts, we have had some great finds on this stretch of rural road. Killdeer and Horned Lark were observed and with the car windows down I heard a song different from the Horned Lark's as we approached the vineyard. The bird responsible for the drzzt call flew across the road and Jean was first to identify it as an Eastern Meadowlark (#75). A second Eastern Meadowlark was found in the corn field just passed the vineyard. We had great views of the bird as it rested on a corn stalk, alternating between its see-you, see-yeer song and the buzzy drzzt call. Happy that I had ticked two species for the year list, we continued on our way home.

Based on our previous observations along the Green Ribbon Trail, there is still plenty of time to add Fox Sparrow to the year list and I'm confident that we'll find them on the same path. I'll keep you posted on our progress.