BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, STORMWATER TREATMENT CELLS, BLUFFER'S PARK, SCARBOROUGH, ON

COOPER'S HAWK, BLUFFER'S PARK, SCARBOROUGH, ON

   This photo was taken at the stormwater treatment cells at Bluffer's Park.  This is a new species on our Life List, which now stands at 148.

BIRDING HOTSPOTS-OFO FIELD TRIPS TO PALGRAVE/EVERETT GRAVEL PIT/BEETON SOD FARMS &

SPECULUM OF A MALLARD, LOWER REESOR POND, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON

   This photo of a female mallard with its wings spread, shows a good view of the speculum.  The speculum is a brightly colored patch of plumage, often irredescent, on the secondary flying feathers of many ducks.  The mallard, both male and female, have irredescent purple-blue speculums with white edges, as can be seen in this photo.  Sometimes part of the speculum, depending on the birds position, can be seen when the bird is at rest.  The speculum can be used to help I.D. ducks.

CEDAR WAXWING, REESOR POND, MARKHAM, ON

   Reesor Pond is located along Reesor Road, just northwest of where it goes under Highway 407 (ETR).  I thought these photos show all the field markings of an adult male Cedar Waxwing from both a profile and back view.

NORTHERN FLICKER, WOODLANDS TRAIL, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON, 8/25/15

TAGGED TRUMPETER SWANS, LOWER REESOR POND, ROUGE PARK, TORONTO, ON

   We sighted these two tagged Trumpeter Swans yesterday at Lower Reesor Pond and reported them to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory.  The pond is located near the northeast corner of the intersection of Reesor Road and Old Finch Ave. in Toronto.