A very foggy morning with no breeze. Lake very calm.
We drove to the visitor centre and took the shuttle to the Tip where we saw cormorants flying overhead and gulls and terns on the beach. No pelicans today.
Then a walk along West Beach where we saw a Northern Crescent and a Soldier Fly.
Then back to the cottage for lunch.
Back out to Northwest Beach at 3:30 PM in brilliant sunshine with calm air.
I encountered a Red Spotted Admiral puddling in the north parking lot of the Marsh Boardwalk Trail.
I walked south along the seasonal footpath south of the parking lot serving Northwest Baech to the walkout to the portion of the shore called “the Dunes”.
Blue dasher at entrance to the seasonal footpath that leads south from the parking lot for Northwest Beach.
Lots of Azures on the False Indigo Bush and an 8 Spotted Moth as well.
Lots of dragonflies: Eatsern Pondhawk, Blue Dashers, and one big beautiful but dragonfly, caramel with brown spotted wings that turned out to be a Painted Skimmer (LibelLula semifasciata).
I also saw a big green dragonfly that I think was a Common Green Darner.
Lots of butterflies: Azures, Satyrs, and a Question Mark.
More Eastern Pricklypear Cactuses.
Then back north through the savanna close to the beach where I saw a few dragonflies with black bodies and black saddlebags flying around.
At 5 PM, I passed a tree filled with butterflies and bugs, probably a Hopwood.
Viceroy, Question Mark, Red Admiral and Red-spotted Admiral.
And Eastern Pondhawks and Eastern Giant Swallowtails.
After supper, we drove back to the Marsh Boardwalk Trail for a final circuit. No swans or beavers this time. Instead, we saw a female Wood Duck.