Watch out - here come the Armyworms...

Pretty quiet on the moth front at the moment here in my back yard in Toronto. Just two moths trapped: Armyworm Moth and the micro Proteoteras moffatiana. Poor show I'd say.


Pseudaletia unipuncta, the Armyworm Moth caught, photographed and released in Toronto. A medium-sized noctuid, note the overall tan colour with the distinct silvery white spot on the forewing. Note also the slanting dusky line cutting in from the forewing apex. A very common species throughout southern Ontario, the larvae will feed on just about anything! The adults are on the wing from March to November in several generations.

The Matalepsis twins...

Moths are at a premium in early spring here in Ontario. It is often too cool at night to make running a moth trap a worthwhile proposition. However, the rewards can be considerable if the temperature climbs a little overnight.

Two highly-prized early spring moths are a pair of chunky noctuids in the genus Metalepsis. One, M. salicarum, is fairly common and widespread. It is a beautifully marked species - lots going on within those small wings! The other, M. fishii, is rather plain by comparison but makes up for this with it's apparant rarity. I've only trapped the latter once.


Metalepsis salicarum captured, photographed and released at Portage Lake in late April 2000. A real gem!


Metalepsis fishii captured, photographed and released at Portage lake in late April 2000. A great prize...

My small tribute to Arnel...

I was saddened to hear of the death of Arnel Q. Mallari yesterday. Anyone who has been birding in the Philippines will know his name or indeed would have benefited from his expert guidance on the island of Palawan where he and his family lived. We birded with Arnel on Palawan two years ago as part of an extensive trip to the Philippines. Arnel had a deep and extensive knowledge of the birds of Palawan and his passion for his chosen subject was clear to see. In six days we pretty much cleaned-up all the possible endemics and it was mostly due to the enthusiasm, patience and sheer persistance displayed by Arnel that got us there. He had an infectious sense of humour and he delighted in making fun of us! Those present will long remember his vivid description of a sunburned Rob as "pinky". Great fun. He will be missed and I wish his family well during this time of grief.

The beautiful male Palawan Peacock-pheasant above was one of the special endemics that Arnel was particularly pleased to show us...


Part of a small flock of Philippine Cockatoos on Rasa Island, Palawan. Now very rare, Rasa is one of the best sites to see this fine bird. Seeing the Mantanani Scops-Owl was another matter though!


A Mindanao Wattled Broadbill at PICOP on Mindanao. We were fortunate indeed to see this rare beauty.


A singing male Steere's Pitta at PICOP on Mindanao.


A White-throated Kingfisher at PICOP on Mindanao. A very widespread kingfisher throughout Asia but lovely nonetheless.

I hope some of you might be inspired to visit the Philippines. It is a wonderful and fragile part of the world in dire need of more protection.

Time to scan the beaches...

Too cool again for moths...so back to birds.

Late April and early May is a good time to walk the beaches in southern Ontario to look for Piping Plovers. This rare and decreasing species is a regular passage migrant in very small numbers throughout the Great Lakes region. They used to breed on some deserted beaches, such as at Long Point, but no longed do so. Many recent sightings in southern Ontario have invloved banded birds so if you are fortunate enough to find one check out the legs carefully and note any band combinations.




These videograbs are of a male Piping Plover at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island in early May last year. The bird was present for about three days but could be elusive and not many folks got to see it. A great bird to see in the core metro area. This bird sported a metal band on it's right leg but no colour bands. Unfortunately I do not have any infomation as to where the bird was banded.

Piping Plovers are pretty easy to identify. Compared to a Semipalmated Plover, the most likely confusion species, they are much paler overall, a bit tubbier and have much less black on the head. The even rarer Snowy Plover is also very pale-looking but is smaller with a thinner all-black bill, a broken grayish-brown or black breast band and grayish legs.

Good luck finding one!

Not bad for a chicken...

On this dull and rainy day I cast my mind (what's left of it) back to a wonderful day I spent in the (almost) wilds of Algonquin about this time last year - I think it was cold and raining on that day too. My friend PNP wanted some company so I volunteered to assist. Was a great day out in the northern forests, along with good conversation and even better music.

Here are a few videograbs for your viewing pleasure...


Early spring is a great time to catch up with one of North America's most fabulous birds - the Spruce Grouse. We saw two, one of which we watched for about 30 minutes as it sat and displayed in front of our eyes. I was so impressed I vowed I'd paint it...but a year later I still have not started! The highly patterned plumage is amazing...


Sorry, you'll have to use your imagination a bit for this distant Boreal Chickadee. They are not uncommon within the park but can be difficult to see. They are easy to hear but are decidedly skulky and cryptic when foraging in the spruces.


Gray Jays are a common sight in the park. They usually find you rather than the other way around! They are bold and fearless.


And, of course, everyone loves a Moose...even a ratty one!

A darker shade of Distinct Quaker...

A much darker Distinct Quaker from the one caught yesterday with blackish shading around the orbicular and renifrom spots. I wasn't aware that there was so much variation within this species. Fascinating no? The larvae of this species feed mostly on maple and grape.


A rather typical example of Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth, the only other macro in the trap last night. I did catch a couple of new tortrix species but have yet to identify them. Takes time you know, but one does one's best...

Anyway, where are you all? There was a time when I had faithful readers who actually sent comments to my blog. As silly as some of them undoubtedly were I kinda liked them...

Hooray! The first moths of the season...

Great, no more boring Peru pix! Is always nice to get off the mark, and especially so when the first macro that one pulls out of the trap is a garden tick - though one I've been expecting. With another warmish night predicted we'll see if something else drops in tonight. I should add that my back yard is not the greatest in the early (or any other come to that) part of the season.


This is a really fresh Distinct Quaker and was new for my garden. Is a fine-looking noctuid with rather nice lines and shading. It is on the wing for a month or so from mid April.


Another view of the Distinct Quaker.


This is a micro which I haven't had time to identify yet. It is a tortrix, most probably in the genus phaneta, or maybe eucosma. If I sort it out I'll edit this post with the name.

Still waiting for the moths...

Where are those moths anyway? I know, still too cool at night - though my light is blazing tonight so maybe I'll get lucky...

Here are a few pix from the white sand forests near Iquitos in northern Peru. I hope you like them.


A Yellow-rumped Cacique in all its black-and-yellow glory. A very common bird throughout Amazonia.


A Maroon-tailed Parakeet at a nest hole. We watched this bird at close range for ages, the best views I'd ever had.


A fine Chestnut-capped Puffbird. Any sighting of a Puffbird is great but this is a particularly nice one...


A Paradise Jacamar looking for prey from atop a lofty branch. Brilliant birds, they are always a pleasure to watch.


A Scale-breasted Woodpecker at a nest hole. I've only seen this handsome pecker a few times so it was nice to have the chance to watch one for a prolonged period.


A Lesser Kiskadee. This narrow-billed tyrant likes to sit and wait for prey on the edges of lakes and large rivers. Although superficially similar to several other related species the bill shape sets it apart.

Overwintering Moths...

There are some moths that successfully overwinter as an adult. There are several genera of moths in the subfamily Cuculliinae which do just this, most notably the Swordgrass Moths (Xylena), Pinions (Lithophane) and Sallows (Eupsilia). They mostly have a very short flight period in the late fall, hibernate, and then have an even shorter flight in the early spring when the nights are warm enough for them. For me these moths are highly prized because I don't do much mothing at these times due to my birding activities!


This is Lithophane bethunei, aka. Bethune's Pinion. I've caught this species in both late fall and early spring. It is one of the more common Lithophane species in southern Ontario. The larvae feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs, including apple, ash, maple and hickory.


Another view of Bethune's Pinion. In UK moths in this genus are called "shoulder-knots". Is a great name since these moths do indeed have knotty shoulders!

Focus on a moth - Orthosia hibisci...

Orthosia hibisci, or the Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth is a common early spring feature of the mothing year. The larvae feed on a wide variety of trees including apple, plum and cherries. The main flight period is concentrated in April to early May.


This is a typical example of the Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth. It was captured, photographed and released in my back yard in April last year. This species is quite variable with some individuals displaying quite extensive reddish shading in the median part of the forewing.


This moth, as you can see, is rather cryptic and well concealed when resting on a dead leaf.

Oh no, not another springtime moth...

OK, not quite so pretty as The Infant featured on yesterday's blog, the Spring Cankerworm Moth is nonetheless rather attractive in a cryptic sort of way. I like the fine black lines on the ashy-grey backdrop. It is quite common in southern Ontario and is on the wing between late March to early May. The larvae feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs and can be a pest at times.


A fine study of Paleacrita vernata, The Spring Cankerworm Moth. This individual was found clinging the the wall of a friend's house here in downtown Toronto. Now, why can't I get it on my yard list?

A sign of spring - The Infant...

One of the very first moths to fly in the Ontario springtime is Archiearis infans, otherwise known as The Infant. This distinctive moth is a dayflier and is often to be found on warm afternoons from late March flitting about wherever there are large stands of Birch trees, its food plant. The flight period is rather short and they are usually done by late April or early May.


This fresh individual was seen and photographed at Balsam Lake in Victoria county, Ontario in early April a couple of years ago. It is a very distincive-looking moth. The forewing is a rich dark chocolate brown with a pale frosting. Note the white patches along the costa. The hindwing is contrastingly orange with a dusky margin. When in flight the orange really stands out and the moth is often mistaken for a butterfly. So, get out to a Birch woodland near you next time the sun is warm and check out The Infant for yourself.

The Strange and Frightening World of the Cecilian...

The Cecilian is a strange legless amphibian in the order ceacillae. It kind of looks like a snake at first glance but is ribbed along its length, is rather pallid-looking and has vestigial eyes which can only just tell light from dark. They are very ancient creatures and have a worldwide distribution in the tropics but seem to be nowhere common.


This Cecilian was found by Dave and Darrell along the trail up to the summit of Morro de Calzada near Rioja in Northern Peru this February. It stuck around long enough for me to take some nice video of this rarely observed amphibian.


You can just make out the vestigial eyes on this view. Note also the ribbed appearance of the main body.


This Cecilian was about 15 inches long and was rather sluggish and slow moving. It liked to burrow into the leaf litter, presumably looking for prey. It would be very easy to walk right on by one of these creatures and this is presumably why they are seldom seen. I had never seen one before and consider myself fortunate to have observed this one so well.

Some tumbesian endemics...

The tumbesian region extends from Western Ecuador down to NW Peru. It is generally rather dry but can be very wet in the rainy season between February and May. The xerophytic scrub, coastal desert and deciduous woodlands are home to a remarkable array of birds and other creatures endemic to the region. Many of the endemic birds inhabit very small ranges and are quite scarce, indeed many are threatened. Habitat destruction is widespread and some species are in dire need of more protection. Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher and White-winged Guan fall into this category.


A Tumbes Hummingbird hovering above a little waterfall in the lodge garden at Chaparri. This restricted range hummer is in the genus Leucippus, all of which tend to be rather dull and dusty-looking.


The distinctive Baird's Flycatcher. This large tyrant is a characteristic bird of deciduous woodland and scrub in the tumbesian region of SW Ecuador and NW Peru. It is quite noisy and generally easy to observe.


A Snowy-throated Kingbird. Another very distinctive tyrant and one whose range extends further north into NW Ecuador. It is superficially similar to the widespread Tropical Kingbird but has a different voice, is paler yellow on the underparts, has an obvious snowy-white throat and is paler and grayer on the upperparts.

The most brilliant of tyrants...

Tumbezia salvini, the Tumbes Tyrant is endemic to the tumbesian region of north west Peru. It is not common and thus any sighting is highly prized. I'd always wanted to see this bird. I have a great fondness for tyrant flycatchers but this is a particularly nice one! We saw this nesting pair at Chaparri which is about 65 km east of the large city of Chiclayo.


A back view of a male showing the neat slash of white on the wings and the white outer tail feathers.


A nice profile of the male showing the extent of yellow on the throat, the broad yellow supercilium and the black mask. The tail is often cocked, especially when singing. In general aspect this bird reminds me of stigmatura, the Wagtail-Tyrants.


A female sitting on the nest. We were lucky to see this. Most birders visit later in the year when the birds are finished breeding.

The Biggest Moth in the World...

I suddenly remembered that I did have a photograph of a moth from Peru... So, meet Thysania agrippina!


Thysania agrippina is otherwise known as the Giant Agrippa or, more commonly, the White Witch. It has the largest wing span of any moth in the world and is found in tropical rain forests throughout central and south America.

I had never seen one before. Whilst walking a trail at the Allpahuayo/Mishana Reserve near Iquitos during the quiet of mid afternoon we flushed this large flying creature from a tree. At first it appeared to be a bird it was so large but quickly revealed itself to be a huge moth. Luckily it settled again on the trunk of a nearby tree and we were able to secure excellent views of this most massive of lepidopterans. I only had my video camera with me so the pix were not the greatest, but you get the general idea. I think with wing span might have been somewhere in the region of ten inches!

One thing is for sure, it would never have fitted into my moth trap back home... not even through the "Britney Love Canal" - joke for my friend Mike there...

Assorted special birds...

For want of anything else to show you I thought I'd carry on regardless with my ultra tedious Peru Pix. No-one is looking at the moment anyhow so little does it matter...


A lovely Yellow-faced Parrotlet seen in the desert scrub near Balsas. We had a bit of trouble locating this somewhat nomadic Maranon endemic. However, persistence paid off and we finally located a small flock by listening for their calls. One bird, presumably an immature, was incredibly dull with little or no yellow on the face. It looked much more like the more common Pacific Parrotlet which we were well out of range for.


The incomparable Great Spinetail busy building an even greater stick nest in dry woodland near San Marcos. Another nail-biter! We searched for a couple of hours in suitable habitat and came up with nothing in the way of spinetails of the great variety. We ended up on the road above where we had been searching and, deciding to cut off a long and tedious corner by following a goat trail down to where the car was parked we stumbled across a nest! And then a pair of Great Spinetails! And all this very close to where we started! All was forgotten with the sudden excitement and relief of watching one of Peru's finest endemics. It more than made up for our shocking lack of success with the "guaranteed" Gray-bellied Comet, which we tried for no less than three times! I'll go back don't you worry...


A fine roadside study of a nice Streak-backed Canastero near Cruz Conga. Having successfully seen the very distinctive cajamarcae form of Rufous Antpitta (obviously a good species) and had nice looks at Black Metaltails, Baron's Spinetails and Black-crested Tit-Tyrants it was nice to obtain close looks at this normally hard-to-see canastero. One normally sees them scurrying through bunch grass in a blur of streaks and cocked tails.


One of the finest birds in all the Andes, the totally brilliant Chestnut-crested Cotinga at Abra Patricia - sorry Luke! We watched a pair for prolonged periods over the course of three days at a productive fruiting tree. In fact they seemed to own this tree! I'd only seen this species once before (in southern Ecuador) so it was a real treat to see them so well and for so long - we just had the greatest time with these streaky denizens of the cloud forest!!! The same fruiting tree also hosted the likes of Andean Guan, White-eared Solitaire, Emerald Toucanet, Hooded Mountain-Tanagers and numerous Green-and-black Fruiteaters.


A chance roadside encounter with a fine Sickle-winged Guan - we watched it for ages as it fed from roadside puddles. I'd never seen one so well, it was brilliant...