MOLTING BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, WOODLAND TRAIL, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON

   This chickadee is in the process of molting and growing new feathers, as can be seen from its scruffy appearance.  Generally August-September is the time of year when this occurs.

STAGHORN SUMAC, WOODLAND TRAIL, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON, 8/25/15

JUVENILE RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, WOODLANDS TRAIL, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON, 825/15

   The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a new species for our Life List, which now stands at 147.  Most likely a female juvenile.  The juveniles and females do not have the red throat that the adult male has.

JUVENILE MOLTING WOOD DUCK, FINNERTY SIDE ROAD, CALEDON, ON, 8/23/15

   This photo was taken from a long distance and then enlarged, so it is somewhat grainy.   The Wood Duck is a juvenile that is molting into an adult, probably a male.  The juvenile Wood Ducks generally molt around now and complete their transformation by September.

GREAT EGRETS, EVERETT GRAVEL PIT, ADJALA-TOSORONTIO, ON, 8/23/15

   The two white birds on the left are Great Egrets; the one on the left being tagged. 

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BEETON SOD FARMS, NEW TECUMSETH, ON, 8/23/15

   The plover was quite distant, so the photo is somewhat grainy, but the bird is recognizable.  We were able to I.D. this bird as a Black-bellied Plover (vs. American Golden Plover) as follows:

• If you look closely you can see that the undertail coverts are white (not black as in the American Golden Plover).
• The plover does not have a dark head cap, as the American Golden-Plover has.

   The sod farm where we saw the plover was near the intersection of 10th Line and 15 Sideroad in New Tecumseth.  Sod farms are great places to see gulls, plovers, sandpipers, etc. after the sod has been harvasted.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, EVERETT GRAVEL PIT, ADJALA-TOSORONTIO, ON