TAGGED TRUMPETER SWAN, TOMMY THOMPSON PARK, LESLIE ST. SPIT, TORONTO, ON

   Will report this tagged Trumpeter Swan to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory.

SWARM OF MIDGES, TOMMY THOMPSON PARK, LESLIE ST. SPIT, TORONTO, ON

   Midges, is the common name for several species of small flies.  They do not bite.  Flying insect eating birds, such as swallows, love them.

SPIDER IN WEB WITH CATCH, TOMMY THOMPSON PARK, LESLIE ST. SPIT, TORONTO, ON

COMMON GRACKLE, HAWK HILL, HIGH PARK, TORONTO, ON, 8/28/15

   You can tell this is a Common Grackle by its long, keel shaped tail and its overall dark color, even though it is somewhat silhoutted against the sky.  Also the bird has a heavy bill and pale iris, which contrasts with its dark coloring.

FIVE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, HAWK HILL, HIGH PARK, TORONTO, ON

COOPER'S HAWK, HAWK HILL, HIGH PARK, TORONTO, ON, 8/28/15

COMMON NIGHTHAWK, HAWK HILL, TORONTO, ON, 8/28/15

   From Aug. 17 to Sept. 6, there is a Nighthawk watch at Hawk Hill in High Park in Toronto. It starts at 6 pm.  We went to it yesterday evening.  By the time we left, 39 Common Nighthawks had been counted and they were still looking for more.  These Common Nighthawks are migrating to South America, primarily Argentina.

   In the photo you can make out the white bars near the base of the primaries.  This is a good field marking for a Common Nighthawk in flight and a fair distance away.  Also, you can see the long angled pointed wings.

   The Common Nighthawk is new to our Life List, which now stands at 149.