Buggin' at Rock Point Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

While it is that time of year where the birding sure slows down, some friends of ours and my husband have been relying on chasing dragonflies and butterflies for entertainment...and a new challenge. Like all new things, I am slowly learning as I go. Like all things wild, there are more complexities to them than most people care to think about. For now, I will just try to capture some decent photos of them so I can figure out what species they are and just enjoy them for their beauty. 

These were taken on a Sunday trip to Rock Point Provincial Park on the beautiful Niagara Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. We like to take day trips here mainly for late summer/early fall shorebird migration which is excellent, but things were a little slow today so this is what caught our eyes instead. 

Black Saddlebags

This was, in my opinion, our best bird of the day, spotted in a field along the road on our way to the park. There were two of these fabulous Sandhill Cranes, who up until this spring were my nemesis birds.

We managed to do a little birding, but our attention quickly turned to the variety dragonflies and damselflies buzzing along the lake shore. Our friend Willie, seen here is doing a 2013 Big Year within the Buffalo Ornithological Society Region that includes Western New York and extends west into the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, Canada. He has been delving into the wonderful world of Odonates himself. Check out his blog and photos here. 

I will just call this a dragonfly rainbow

Viceroy

Lots of bugs are getting frisky this time of year.

Twelve Spotted Skimmer

Female Eastern Forktail Damselfly

Tule Bluet Damselfly

Below are some photos taken last year during a trip to Rock Point that feature more of the landscape.

Along the shore of Rock Point you will find exposed limestone with a variety of fossils which are very interesting to get up close and personal with. It is here you will find little pools of water that attract migrating shorebirds and other local birds like herons, gulls, and terns. You could sit here for hours watching the water, or peering around at the rocks beneath you. Not too far from these rocks is a nice sandy beach for those who enjoy swimming. 

Killdeer, a common local shorebird friend. 

A view of downtown Buffalo, NY from across the lake in Fort Erie, ON before returning home. 

Niagara Falls: Cave of the Winds Ring-billed Gull Nesting Site

A few Common Loons

Some Swans

Spring Birds

Early Winter on the Frontier, 2011

Niagara Falls and the Rainbow Bridge

Our only decent snowfall of the season...and it lasted 2 days.

Rich Marina, along the Niagara River, Buffalo, NY

Black Squirrel, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Abandoned Home, Appleton, New York

My favorite abandoned home along Route 18, Town of Appleton, New York

Marshall Road Snowy. Irruption Year 2012, One of eight snowy owls we saw this year.

Northern Shrike

Snow Geese in the thousands in Niagara County, another irregular natural occurrence during migration.

The REAL Blue Springs State Park

Three years ago, I thought I went to Blue Springs State Park. Come to find out we did not having had the name wrong. We actually went to Wekiwa Springs west of Orlando. This time we did make it to Blue Springs State Park, after arguing with Melissa that we had been here before. What's in a name anyway? So we arrive on a record breaking hot day in Florida and the place is packed. 105 degrees in the morning...who knows how hot it got in the afternoon. Melissa picked us up some inner tubes to use to float on down the spring's current. The water was a cool 73 degrees and was the perfect balance to the scorching heat above the water. We saw giant longnose gars in the water below us that was exciting to some, frightening for others. We were stunned by the amount of activity among the peoples visiting the springs. Again, there were all kinds of people, but more rural Floridian's than city folk. We saw a 19 year old get yelled at by her mother for crying because she did not want to leave, 22 year old small town crooks, dealers with their 15 year old girlfriends, and two young men with speedos doing gymnastics in 105 degree weather. It was a lot to take in. Down by the water it was a different scene. There were disgusting acts of public affection by 13 year olds, and screaming girls cruisin down the river on top of Uncle Piggyback. If you could settle into all the noise and block it out, the Springs is a beautiful and relaxing place to take a dip a find relief from the heat aside from the ocean. It is hard not to romanticize about the large shade trees above that are dripping with spanish moss as the current gently carries you downstream within the forest.