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Thursday, April 30, 2015

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BIRDS, SQUIRRELS, SCENERY & FLOWERS

   This morning Sharon and I took our dog Kenya (a Shetland Sheepdog or Shelty) for a walk and sighted a House Finch - see first photo below.  Later on this morning we traveled to the Toronto Botanical Gardens and Wilket Creek Park and took the photos below.


HOUSE FINCH
AMERICAN ROBIN



DOWNY WOODPECKER



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - TWO MALE MALLARDS
SWIMMING UPSTREAM PAST RAPIDS ON
WILKET CREAK

FEMALE MALLARD



ABOVE 2 PHOTOS
EASTERN GREY SQUIRREL
BLACK SQIRREL - SUBGROUP OF
EASTERN GREY SQUIRREL

COMMON IN SOUTHEASTERN CANADA

OUR WALKERS & BIRDERS




SCENIC VIEWS & SOME FLOWERS
AT TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDENS &
WILKET CREEK PARK








Wednesday, April 29, 2015

BIRD PHOTOS FROM MY ARCHIVES: RAPTORS

   Raptors are birds of prey, they hunt and feed on other animals. Generally these birds have good eyesight and powerful talons and beaks.  The good vision allows them to detect prey during flight.  The strong talons allows the bird to hold its prey and their strong curved beak allows them to tear the flesh of its prey.
   Here are photos of the raptors I have so far managed to photograph.



BLACK VULTURE IN FLIGHT - NOTE THE
LIGHT GRAY AT END OF WINGS
EAGLE LAKES


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - BLACK VULTURE
NOTICE WRINKLED GREY HEAD

EAGLE LAKES
TURKEY VULTURE IN FLIGHT - NOTE THE
RED HEAD & THE BLACK LEADING EDGE
WINGS & DARK GREY REAR EDGE WINGS
AND WING TIPS



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - NORTHERN HARRIER
EAGLE LAKES




ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - OSPREY
NOTE BLACK STRIPE THROUGH EYE &
GREY FEET
EAGLE LAKES

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - RED-TAILED HAWK
NOTE THE REDDISH TAIL & WHITE
PATCHES ON BACK
ALONG THE NIAGARA RIVER IN
ONTARIO
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
YOU CAN JUST ABOUT MAKE OUT
THE FORKED TAIL
EAGLE LAKES


ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
THIS IS THE SOUTH FLORIDA TYPE
NOTE THE PALE ORANGE BARS ON CHEST &
RED STREAK ON UPPER WINGS
VARIOUS LOCATIONS

BALD EAGLE
NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BIRDS & TURTLES

   Sharon and I went for a walk with our dog Kenya in Richmond Green Park in Richmond Hill, ON.  In addition to a few birds,we also took photos of Painted Turtles.  In addition to several single turtles we also saw four turtles together, probably a family.







ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - COMMON GRACKLE

MOURNING DOVE


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - SONG SPARROW



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - PAINTED TURTLES


Sunday, April 26, 2015

BIRD PHOTOS OF THE DAY: COMMON GRACKLE & SPOTTED SANDPIPER

   Today Sharon walked around Unionville and Toogood Pond Park.  We sighted a Spotted Sandpiper with breeding plumage and a Common Grackle.  Here are there photos.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER IN BREEDING PLUMAGE



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - COMMON GRACKLE

BIRDING TRIP TO LESLIE STREET SPIT/TOMMY THOMPSON PARK - APRIL 25, 2015

   Yesterday Sharon and I took a birding trip to the Leslie St. Spit in Toronto.  The Toronto Ornithological Club had a field trip to the spit and we were supposed to meet them at the spit's entrance.  However, due to a number of circumstances we were too late and so we ended up birding ourselves for most of the trip.  Later on in the afternoon we did run into them, however, we decided not to join up with them.  We did however hook up with one of the members of the group (Ross) who was going in our direction.  Ross was great to walk along with as he was a very experienced birder and knew where to find the birds.
   Leslie St. Spit is a great birding hotspot in Toronto.  So far, it's the best hotspot we've been to.   The spit is a man made peninsula that juts out 3 miles into Lake Ontario, roughly in  southwest direction.  The spit was constructed starting in the late 1950's.  It was used and still is, as a dumping ground for clean fill - rubble and earth from construction and dredge material.
   The spit has been colonized by a variety of plant life and more than 300 species of birds have been sighted on the spit, including 45 that breed there.  In 2000 the spit was designated as an "Important Bird Area" by BirdLife International.
   Here are photos from the Leslie St. Spit.

 

DESIGNATION OF LESLIE ST. SPIT
AS AN IMPORTANT BIRD AREA


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MUTE SWAN


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - TRUMPETER SWAN

FLOCK OF SWANS IN WATER
PROBABLY TRUMPETER SWANS

CANADA GOOSE

MALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
MALLARDS: MALE ON LEFT,
FEMALE ON RIGHT
MALE GREATER SCAUP
FEMALE GREATER SCAUP


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - HERRING GULL
RING-BILLED GULL


ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - ROOST OF
RING-BILLED GULLS
ROOST OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - OUR INTREPID
BIRDERS AT WATERBIRD VIEWING
AREA - SHARON & GEORGE



ABOVE 4 PHOTOS - CLOSEUP VIEW OF
 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT ROOST
AND INDIVIDUAL CORMORANTS
KILDEER

MALE REDHEAD

MALE BUFFLEHEAD


FEMALE BUFFLEHEADS



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - NORTHERN FLICKER

DOWNY WOODPECKER 


RED-NECKED GREBE: ADULT WITH
BREEDING PLUMAGE ON RIGHT;
IMMATURE GREBE ON LEFT

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MALE LONG-TAILED
DUCK WITH MOST OF ITS BREEDING
PLUMAGE
ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MALE TREE SWALLOW
MALE BLUE-WINGED TEAL

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - GREAT HORNED OWL
MALE CANVASBACK

MIXTURE OF MALE & FEMALE
CANVASBACKS & OTHER BIRDS
TOP CENTER: MALE CANVASBACK
ON LEFT, FEMALE ON RIGHT


VIEWS FROM LESLIE ST. SPIT


AUTOMATED LIGHTHOUSE AT END OF SPIT