RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

MUTE SWANS THAT SEEM TO BE SLEEPING, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

   I believe these Mute Swans were sleeping or least resting, because during the several minutes I observed them, they were not preening themselves.

 

HERMIT THRUSH, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

BREEDING MALE MALLARD DABBLING FOR FOOD & THEN SURFACING, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

MALE DOWNY WOODPECKER, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/8/2026

 

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/8/2026

 

JUVENILE MALE NORTHERN CARDINAL MOLTING INTO ADULT PLUMAGE, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 12/8/2026

   The scruffy looks indicates that this Northern Cardinal is molting.  It is a juvenile male Northern Cardinal molting into adult plumage. It is likely a male because it shows a heavy concentration of crimson feathers across its face, chest and throat.  The bill is turning red, but still has a lot of the dark coloration of a juvenile bill.  The head shows some of the gray skin underneath the feathers, as the juvenile cardinal temporarily looses head feathers as it molts.

 

MANKY MALLARDS, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/8/2026

   

    Manky Mallard is a slang term for a hybrid of a wild Mallard and a domestic duck. See my post dated 3/7/2026 (actually posted on 3/9/2026) on Manky Mallard.   The Manky Mallard in the first photo looks like the same one we have previously seen and photographed.  The one in the second photo, with a much smaller white spot, we have not seen before.  The Manky Mallard in the second photo has the same bright blue speculum as a wild Mallard.  Both these Manky Mallards were among a large group of wild Mallards.

 

BLUE JAY, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/8/2026

 

GREEN STINK BUG, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/8/2026

   The Green Stink Bug gets its name from the fact that when it is disturbed, it releases a strong unpleasant odor from scent glands on it thorax.

 

MEGA FLOCK OF CANADA GEESE, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

 

MALE & FEMALE NORTHERN SHOVELER, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

   Not great photos, but we can tell they are Northern Shovelers by the plumage on the male and the very large bill on the female.

 MALE NORTHERN SHOVELER 

FEMALE NORTHERN SHOVELER 

RING-BILLED GULL IN FLIGHT, OTHERS IN WATER & A FLOCK AMONG CANADA GEESE, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

 

CACKLING GEESE ALONG WITH CANADA GEESE, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

   The smaller geese towards the bottom of the three photos are the Cackling Geese.  We can tell they are Cacking Geese as follows:

• Much smaller size than the Canada Geese
• Short neck
• Short bill

 

CANADA GEESE, KILLDEER & A GREEN-WINGED TEAL, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

 

BLUE-WING TEALS, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

 

NOT SURE IF THIS A FEMALE GREEN-WINGED TEAL OR

A MALE IN ECLIPSE PLUMAGE STARTING TO MOLT

INTO BREEDING PLUMAGE.  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

FEMALE GREEN-WINGED TEAL

KILLDEER IN FLIGHT & SEVERAL ON LAND & WATER, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ONTARIO, 10/7/2026

EASTERN PHOEBE, TRAIL IN TOMMY THOMPSON PARK, UNWIN AVE BRIDGE HOTSPOT, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/6/2026

 

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT IN WATER, OUTER HARBOR LOOKOUT, UNWIN AVE BRIDGE HOTSPOT, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1O/6/2026

 

BREEDING & MOLTING MALE MALLARDS & A FEMALE MALLARD, OUTER HARBOR LOOKOUT, UNWIN AVE BRIDGE HOTSPOT, 10/6/2026

 

BREEDING MALE MALLARD (LEFT) & FEMALE MALLARD (RIGHT)

MALE MALLARD MOLTING INTO BREEDING PLUMAGE 

NONBREEDING RED-NECKED GREBE, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/3/2026

 

RING-BILLED GULLS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/3/2026

 

AMERICAN HERRING GULL, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/3/2026

 

SONG SPARROW, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/3/2026