WHITE-THROATED SPARROW ON FENCE & ANOTHER WITH A SEED IN BILL, ROSETTA McCLAIN GARDENS, SCARBOROUGH, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/12/2026

 

BLUE JAY, ROSETTA McCLAIN GARDENS, SCARBOROUGH, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/12/2026

 

MONARCH BUTTERFLY ON PINK FLOWERS OF A BUTTERFLY BUSH, ROSETTA McCLAIN GARDENS, SCARBOROUGH, TORONTO,ONTARIO, 10/12/2026

 

FEMALE NORTHERN FLICKER (YELLOW-SHAFTED) & BLUE JAY ON SAME SNAG, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/11/2026

 FEMALE NORTHERN FLICKER

BLUE JAY

WHITE- CROWNED SPARROW & WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

   The White-crowned Sparrow is on the left and the White-throated Sparrow is on the right.

 

ROCK PIGEON (FERAL PIGEON), COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

HOUSE SPARROWS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

ADULT & 1ST WINTER WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

1ST WINTER WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW

 ADULT WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS 

WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

AMERICAN BLACK DUCK FROM REAR, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

   Even though we can only see the rear of this duck, we can ID it as an American Black Duck by its blue speculum surrounded by black and its dark plumage.  It does not have the bright white of the speculum of the Mallard.  It should be noted that Merlin identified it as an American Black Duck.

 

1ST WINTER & ADULT RING-BILLED GULLS IN FLIGHT & IN WATER, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

 

1st WINTER RING-BILLED GULL IN FLIGHT

NONBREEDING ADULT RING-BILLED GULL IN FLIGHT

               NONBREEDING ADULT RING-BILLED GULL IN WATER              

1st WINTER RING-BILLED GULL IN WATER 

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 10/10/2026

 

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