FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

MOLTING MALE BUFFLEHEAD, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   This male Bufflehead is molting from breeding plumage to nonbreeding plumage.  The white on back of the head  of its breeding plumage has molted to just the white patches on the sides of the head of its nonbreeding plumage.  The white on the sides of the Bufflehead is starting to molt to the gray of the nonbreeding plumage.

VIEW OF TORONTO, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

BREEDING RED-NECKED GREBES, LAKE ONTARIO, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

MALE COMMON GOLDENEYE, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   We can ID this duck as a male Goldeneye in breeding plumage as follows:

• Glossy green-black head and neck.
• Amber eyes.
• Black and white body and wings, but mostly white.
• Tall peaked crown.
• Round white spot on face.

   The Common Goldeneye is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 284.

MALE TREE SWALLOW AT HOUSE & IN FLIGHT, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK TORONTO, ON

   We can ID this swallow as a male Tree Swallow by its metallic blue above and white below.

BREEDING MALE HARLEQUIN DUCK, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   We can identify this duck as a breeding male Harlequin Duck by the following:

• Distinctive pattern of white spots on face, neck and below neck: white crescent in front of eye, round white ear spot, white vertical stripe along side of neck and two white stripes below neck.
• Small bill.
• Dark crown with rufous stripes on each side.

   The Harlequin Duck is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 283.