REFLECTION OF A GREAT BLUE HERON, RICHMOND GREEN PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

GREAT EGRET, WOOD DUCKS, ETC., CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON

   The Great Egret on the left is surrounded by ducks.  The Wood Ducks have the prominent white around the eye.  The ducks without the prominent white around the eye are probably mallards.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON, 9/6/2015

PECTORAL SANDPIPER, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON, 9/6/2015

   We have identified this sandpiper as a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, rather than a juvenile Least Sandpiper, which resembles it, for the following reasons:

• In a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper a significant portion of the bill at the basal end is not black like the rest of the bill, but can be dull greenish to orange.  In a Least Sandpiper the entire bill is black.  Looking closely at the photo, you can see that the bill at the basal end is a dull green.
• The juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper has more yellowish legs than the juvenile Least Sandpiper, which has more greenish legs.  The sandpiper in this photo has more yellowish legs.

   The Pectoral Sandpiper is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 154.

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON, 9/5/2015

   We identified this bird as a Baird's Sandpiper vs. other similar looking sandpipers as follows:

• The black legs vs. the greenish-yellow legs of the Least Sandpiper.
• More extensive black at tips of wings which extend over tail vs. the wings of a Semipalmated, Western or Least Sandpiper. 

   Baird' s Sandpiper is not a common migrant in this area, but it does show up periodically.  It is probably a juvenile, as it has a neat, extensive scaly pattern on the upperside.

   Baird's Sandpiper is a new species on our Life List, which now stands at 153.

BANDING OF WILSON'S WARBLER, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON, 9/6/2015

      The first four photos show the banding, measurement and release of a Wilson's Warbler.  The last photo is of a mist net where the birds are caught.

BANDING OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, EGGS & CATERPILLAR, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON

   This past weekend we went to the "Monarch & Migration Weekend" at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in Brighton, ON.  We walked the beaches in early morning to see the migrating shorebirds, saw a Monarch butterfly banding, saw a bird banding, went on on a  guided birding hike to Owen Point, drove to Calf Pasture Point to see humingbirds (we saw some) and had a great time.  The beaches at the park in the early morning are a great hotspot for migrating shorebirds.

   The banding of the Monarch butterflies was fascinating.  The first two photos show a Monarch butterfly being banded. The next photo is of Monarch butterfly eggs in a bowl.  The fourth photo was taken on the hike to Owen Point and is of a Monarch butterfly caterpillar on a Milkweed plant leaf.  Their eggs can only be layed on a Milkweed plant; they would die anywhere else.  The last photo shows the difference between male and female Monarch butterflies.