ADULT & JUVENILE WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, VAN WAGNERS BEACH ROAD, HAMILTON, ON

   The first photo is of an adult White-crowned Sparrow and the second of a juvenile.  We can ID the adult as follows:

• Extensive white on head contrasting with black crown stripe and black eye stripe.
• Gray face and neck.
• Brown wings with two  white wing-bars.

   The juvenile White-crowned Sparrow is gray and brown overall with two white wing-bars and orangish bill.

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, VAN WAGNERS BEACH ROAD, HAMILTON, ON

   We can ID this sparrow as a White-throated Sparrow as follows:

• Bright white throat contrasting with gray cheeks and breasts.
• Yellow supraloral.
• White/tannish eyebrow.
• Black and white striped crown. You can just make out the end of the white crown stripe in the photo.
• Gray bill.

GREAT BLUE HERON, VAN WAGNERS PONDS, HAMILTON, ON

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT IN FLIGHT, VAN WAGNERS PONDS, HAMILTON, ON

EUROPEAN STARLINGS, VAN WAGNERS PONDS, HAMILTON, ON

FLOCK OF RING-BILLED GULLS, VAN WAGNERS BEACH, HAMILTON, ON

GREATER SCAUP, TOLLGATE POND, HAMILTON, ON

   We can ID these ducks as Greater Scaups, rather than Lesser Scaups as follows:

• Rounded head.  The Lesser Scaup has a corner at the rear of the head, while the Greater Scaup has a more rounded head.
• Prominent black nail on bill.  This can be seen in the first photo.