ROSE HIP, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   The rose hip, also known as rose haw or rose hep, is the fruit of the rose plant.  It is typically red-to-orange.  Rose hips begin to form after successfull pollonation of the flowers in spring and early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn. Rose hips are used for herbal tea, jam, jelly, rose hip soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine and marmalade.

MUTE SWAN & NORTHERN SHOVELERS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   The duck to the left of the Mute Swan is a male Northern Shoveler in fall plumage.  You can see the large shovel-like bill, yellow eyes, white bar on coverts and dark and white stripes between eye and bill.  The duck to the right of the Mute Swan is either a female or juvenile Northern Shoveler.  You can see the large bill and the white stripe on the coverts.

NORTHERN SHOVELERS SWIMMING & DABBLING, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   The Northern Shoveler swimming on the left is a male and the one dabbling on the right is a female.  On the shoveler on the left you can see the large, dark shovel-like bill.

MALLARD & RING-BILLED GULL, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

PIED-BILLED GREBE, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

RED-NECKED GREBES, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   In the first three photos the two Red-necked Grebes on the right with the rufous necks are  breeding adults and the two on the left with the dark stripes on their head are juveniles.  The last photo shows a nonbreeding adult Red-necked Grebe.  August-September are the months when these grebes molt from breeding to nonbreeding plumage.

BREEDING MALE GADWALL, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

      We can ID this duck as a breeding male Gadwall by its long dark bill, white speculum, silvery tertials and black rear.