DISPATCH FROM PETRIE #139

Dropped into Petrie Island this morning (August 15, 2023) for a brief walkabout and then watch a turtle hatchling release. (We had been party to the first Petrie unofficial hatchling release in 2002.)

Driving down Tweddle Road the phone wires were hosting a flock of barn swallows. A few of them are in the photos below

A female red-wing blackbird was in the bushes alongside the water, while a yellow warbler was flitting about along the walking trail.

Last time I had seen wood ducks at Petrie was 15-20 years ago  (but I admit to not having been there much in the meantime). At that time they were in more westerly parts of the islands no where near any walking trails. Today’s were in Turtle Pond, but very skittish of people, flying off if anyone came within 30-40 yards of them.

Three females were on a branch a long way off in the middle of Turtle Pond.

A few males, in full molt, were even further off, but I did finally mange to find one closer.

The only mallard we saw was a male, also in full molt, sitting on a sunken log in the middle of Turtle Pond as well.

A few Canada geese were at the west end of Turtle Pond

While a cormorant was fishing in the Ottawa River

The last birds seen were a flicker and a robin on the west end of the Bill Holland trail. 

The flicker looks much bigger than the robin – it ‘s all a question of camera angles and perspective.

The wildflowers are trending towards fall flowers already.  Scroll over the picture for ID.

Purple loosestrife

Burdock (only one I found in bloom)

Wild rose

Pickerel weed- only one

Devil’s darning needles

Purple Loosestrife

Canada Thistle – also only one

Bird’s foot trefoil

Evening primrose

Showy tick-trefoil

Joe-pye weed

Arrowhead

Dogwood

Seed pods and berries were all along the trails

Wild rose hips

Bittersweet

Milkweed

Elderberry

Highbush cranberry

Dogwood

Groundnut

While neither a flower nor seeds, two other plants caught my eye. An insect gall on a Canada thistle and some red-leafed poison ivy

Insect gall on a Canada thistle

Poison ivy

A raccoon had walked by recently leaving his wet tracks in the sand. Nearby was evidence of a raccoon-raided snapping turtle nest from June.

The turtle hatchling releases seemed to be a hit. Twenty-five people were at this morning’s wait-listed release.

Two snapping turtles and five map turtles were released.

One of the two snappers was allowed to make its own entrance to the water.

The other snapper, as well as the map turtles, were handed off directly into the water

Two of the hatchlings swam around a bit, and came back to the shore for a few minutes.