Saturday, January 31, 2026
PERCHED COOPER'S HAWK, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026
The bright white spots on the back of the Cooper's Hawk could be due to the fluffing of its feathers. According to Sibley Birds East all perched accipiters (Cooper's Hawk is an accipiter) can show bright white spots on their back when their feathers are fluffed. Birds fluff their feathers in cold weather to keep warm by trapping air, which acts as insulation against the cold.
MALE HAIRY WOODPECKER, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/30/2026
How can we tell this is a male Hairy Woodpecker and not a male Downy Woodpector? We can tell from the fact, that you can see in the photo that the red patch on the rear of its head is split in two. According to an article in the Feb. 13, 2015 issue of Audubon Magazine entitled "How to Tell a Hairy Woodpecker From a Downy Woodpecker" by Karl Mechem "the male Hairy's red patch is often split, while the Downy's is not".
Friday, January 30, 2026
BIRDS FORAGING FOR SEED ON SNOW & AT FEEDER, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 1/29/2026
DARK-EYED JUNCO (LEFT) & WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (RIGHT)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (FRONT LEFT), NORTHERN CARDINAL (BACK LEFT)
AND DARK-EYED JUNCO (RIGHT)
