AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR, TOOGOOD POND, UNIONVILLE, ON

     First there was one Double-crested Cormorant with two turtles; then two Cormorants and finally four Cormorants and two turtles.  We didn't stick around to see what happened.

TURTLES & MALLARDS, TOOGOOD POND, UNIONVILLE, ON

MOLTING MALE WOOD DUCK, GRENADIER POND, HIGH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   This Wood Duck is a male in the process of molting from eclipse plumage to breeding plumage.  This generally occurs in September.  The Wood Duck's eyes have turned red, blue breeding plumage is beginning to show and the red is starting to show on the bill.

MONARCH BUTTERFLY, HIGH PARK, TORONTO, ON

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT ON BUOY, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

COMMON MERGANSER, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

    This was idendified as a male Common Merganser in eclipse or nonbreeding plumage (rather than a similar looking  Red-breasted Merganser) as follows:

• The bill near the base is thick vs. the thin bill of the Red-breasted Merganser.
• The brownish head contrasts sharply with the white chin, unlike the Red-breasted which is much more diffuse.
• This Common Merganser has the dark back and ragged crest on the head of a male.

FLOWERS AT ROSETTA McCLAIN GARDENS, SCARBOROUGH, TORONTO, ON