MALE LONG-TAILED DUCK IN WINTER PLUMAGE, BRONTE BEACH PARK, BRONTE, ONTARIO, 2/8/2018

FEMALE SNOWY OWL, FIFTH AVE LOUTH FIELD, ST. CATHERINES, NIAGARA, ONTARIO, 2/6/18

   Even though this owl was quite far away (see owl in center of third photo), we can ID it as a female Snowy Owl by its white face, dark barred crown and white body with dark bars.

   The Snowy Owl is native to the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia, where it nests on the tundra.  In some years, some North American Snowy Owls remain in their breeding grounds year-round, while other migrate for the winter to southern Canada and the northern half of contiguous U.S.  In winter it can be found in open fields, marshes, coastal sand dunes, etc.  The Snowy Owl hunts mainly at night for a variety of prey, including ducks, grebes and gulls captured on open water.  It is one of our largest owls.

   The Snowy Owl is a new species to our Photographic Life List , which now stands at 774.

LONG-TAILED DUCKS, BURLINGTON CANAL, BURLINGTON, ONTARIO, 2/6/18

CANADA GEESE, HAMILTON BEACH, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, 2/6/18

MALLARDS, HAMILTON BEACH, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, 2/6/18

   The duck in the first photo is a male Mallard.  In the second photo the female Mallard is on the left and the male on the right. 

VIEWS OF LAKE ONTARIO, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 2/4/18

RAFT OF MOSTLY GREATER SCAUPS THAT JUST FLEW IN, LAKE ONTARIO, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 2/4/18

   While we were observing a few ducks in Lake Ontario at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, a large raft of mostly Greater Scaups flew in.  In the first five photos you can see some of the Greater Scaups just about to land in the water.  In addition to the Greater Scaups we were able to ID Redheads, a Common Goldeneye and Long-tailed Ducks in the raft.  There are photos of these species in the previous posts. There also may be other species in the raft, such as Lesser Scaups.