Dauphainais Park: Grafton (4/1)

It was a nice sunny morning on Sunday so I headed over to Dauphainais Park hoping that everything would be coaxed out of hibernation by the warm temperatures. It was late when I got to the property but there were still a good number of birds out and about. The most activity was at the area where the brook flows under the main road. A pair of Eastern Phoebes flew back and forth hawking for insects and a few Juncos sung from the top of the evergreen trees. I even got fooled by a Blue Jay who performed a spot on imitation of a Red-tailed Hawk.

Hoping to see something different, I headed off the main road into the woods. I immediately scared up what I believe were two Ruffed Grouse (they flew too quickly for a positive ID). Deep in the woods, there was multiple signs of White-tailed Deer. I even found what I think are signs of their browse. There was also a wealth of Pileated Woodpecker holes. I listened carefully hoping to hear one but lucked out.

After stumbling around in the woods for a while I made my way back to the road. Just as a broke thru the trees, I scared up an Eastern Comma: my first butterfly of 2007. A few feet down the road I found a Mourning Cloak also sunning itself along the road.

I hiked further into the park making my way slowly to the vernal pools. The first one that I checked out was absolutely beautiful but strangely barren. I usually find at least a few eggs at this pool but this year there was nothing. It did have a number of birds though, including an Eastern Bluebird.

Disappointed, I continued to the next site. This is basically a large depression (caused by dirt bikes?) that fills up in the spring. At this one, I could at least hear the Wood Frogs quacking. But, as hard as I tried I couldn't find one. I'm guessing that they preferred this pool because it was sunnier and had vegetation to hide in.

As I made my way around the pool, I spotted a burrow opening high on the bank. It was really large but I wasn't able to determine what animal made its home there.

On my way out, I heard more quacking from the woods and couldn't resist taking a quick look. Again, the Wood Frogs hid effectively when they heard me approach. But, I did see some skunk cabbage that was just starting to sprout.

On my way out of the woods I found another Mourning Cloak. I watched as he "patrolled" the path and was surprised to see him joined by two more Cloaks who engaged in a short dogfight before flying off. My final sighting of the morning looked like a butterfly to me. It was bright orange with a pale gray forewing. It was sucking nutrients out of the mud but took off whenever I tried to get close enough to take a good picture. From the picture I did get, I was able to determine that it was an Infant Moth.