After the other North American Butterfly Association (NABA) count in the area was rained out, I was especially interested in participating in this count on July 30, 2023.
My fellow counters, Ric and Sandy Symmes, and I preferred to skip the morning part of the count and arrive for lunch at the rendezvous point. That way we would be up for the dinner.
George Prieksaitis’s parents, Bill and Marg, opened their home near Rodney to the counters. George provided and cooked most of the pot luck dinner for those who could stay after dinner. This was an opportunity to chat with counters and to hear the numbers each of the species that each of the teams observed.
It turned out that the butterflies did not start flying around until close to lunchtime when the temperature grew warmer. While some butterflies were missing from the total count this year, the biggest surprise was the number of Monarch butterflies.
Ric, Sandy, and I took short walks in a number of areas within the 24 kilometer diameter count circle. The highlight was a Spicebush Swallowtail. I took several photos as this butterfly flapped its wings furiously.
We met two other teams and did our best to go where none of the other teams had been or were going. We decided on the rail path on the east side of Rodney. It was so wet and buggy that we walked only a short distance. I managed to get photos of Black Swallowtails in the open and an Eastern Comma on the path.
All afternoon, I had been hoping for more success. During the last half-hour, we went to where the rail path crosses Kerr Road, at the eastern edge of the circle. I felt we hit the jackpot there.
Although the butterflies varied in size, I cropped the photos to fill their frames. In general, swallowtails are much larger than skippers.
Wandering Bee Bouquets
You never know what will show up in a bouquet – wild flowers (Queen Anne’s Lace, goldenrod) and even amaryllis.
Osprey Update
The youngest Osprey on the nest at Labatt Park started flying without much warning. It is like the child who does not say one word until it is in school and then speaks in complete sentences. So far, we’ve seen it fly and land on various perches. It also landed in the water on one of its circuits up and down the river and was able to lift back out of the water without difficulty. The two older juveniles are almost independent, but still show up for a meal from time to time. The youngest remains dependent on the adult Ospreys for food for now.
Here is one of the juveniles perched on a low platform near the river.
Audubon Photos
Enjoy this collection of female birds. You might be tempted to look at some of the other collections offered at the bottom of the page.
Video Suggestions
I can’t help it. Colt Clark and his kids always make me smile.
And I get a kick if seeing Belamy’s progress.
Even 2 years ago, Bellamy was channelling Mick Jagger.
There is a 30-minute compilation of Rolling Stones songs that is too much, even for me. But feel free to drag the cursor across the bottom to see all the outfits as the children age.