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Sunday, May 3, 2015

BIRD PHOTOS OF THE DAY: TORONTO ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB FIELD TRIP TO HUMBER PARK EAST

   This morning Sharon and I went on a field trip with the Toronto Ornithological Club to Humber Park East in Toronto.  This park juts out into Lake Ontario and is a great birding hotspot.  Here are photos from the trip.




ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - MALE NORTHERN
CARDINAL - MALE IS ALL RED EXCEPT
FOR BLACK FACE (BILL IS RED)


ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - FLOCKS OF DOUBLE-
CRESTED CORMORANTS FLYING BY
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS -  MALE BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD - IRIDESCENT GLOSSY
BLACK BODY WITH BROWN HEAD


ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - RED-NECKED GREBE
IN BREEDING PLUMAGE
NOTE REDDISH NECK & WHITE CHEEKS
MALLARDS: TOP IS MALE, LOWER
IS FEMALE




ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - MUTE SWAN
ORANGE BILL WITH BLACK KNOB
AT BASE
MALE GADWALL


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MOURNING DOVE
AMERICAN ROBIN IN NEST



AMERICAN ROBIN
MALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

MALE TREE SWALLOW
WHITE BELOW, METALLIC BLUE ABOVE


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW - SEE WHITE THROAT &
EYEBROW & YELLOW NEAR BASE
OF BILL


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MALE LONG-TAILED
DUCK - NOTE LONG TAIL (FEMALE DOES
NOT HAVE LONG TAIL)
RING-BILLED GULL
SEE BLACK RING NEAR END OF BILL
                                 
RING-BILLED GULL IN FLIGHT

Friday, May 1, 2015

BIRD PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE & RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

   This morning as we took our dog out of the house to walk I managed to get a photo of a Black-capped Chickadee.  It was flitting from tree to tree.  We then drove to High Park in Toronto where I took photos of a male and female Red-winged Blackbird.


BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
HAS BLACK CAP, BLACK BIB
& WHITE CHEEKS
FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
BROWNISH WITH DARK STRIPS 
UNDERNEATH; REDDISH THROAT;
SHARP POINTED BEAK
MALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE IS
RED/YELLOW ON WING WHEN
 PERCHED;  SOMETIMES YOU CAN
ONLY SEE YELLOW



Thursday, April 30, 2015

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BIRDS, SQUIRRELS, SCENERY & FLOWERS

   This morning Sharon and I took our dog Kenya (a Shetland Sheepdog or Shelty) for a walk and sighted a House Finch - see first photo below.  Later on this morning we traveled to the Toronto Botanical Gardens and Wilket Creek Park and took the photos below.


HOUSE FINCH
AMERICAN ROBIN



DOWNY WOODPECKER



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - TWO MALE MALLARDS
SWIMMING UPSTREAM PAST RAPIDS ON
WILKET CREAK

FEMALE MALLARD



ABOVE 2 PHOTOS
EASTERN GREY SQUIRREL
BLACK SQIRREL - SUBGROUP OF
EASTERN GREY SQUIRREL

COMMON IN SOUTHEASTERN CANADA

OUR WALKERS & BIRDERS




SCENIC VIEWS & SOME FLOWERS
AT TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDENS &
WILKET CREEK PARK








Wednesday, April 29, 2015

BIRD PHOTOS FROM MY ARCHIVES: RAPTORS

   Raptors are birds of prey, they hunt and feed on other animals. Generally these birds have good eyesight and powerful talons and beaks.  The good vision allows them to detect prey during flight.  The strong talons allows the bird to hold its prey and their strong curved beak allows them to tear the flesh of its prey.
   Here are photos of the raptors I have so far managed to photograph.



BLACK VULTURE IN FLIGHT - NOTE THE
LIGHT GRAY AT END OF WINGS
EAGLE LAKES


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - BLACK VULTURE
NOTICE WRINKLED GREY HEAD

EAGLE LAKES
TURKEY VULTURE IN FLIGHT - NOTE THE
RED HEAD & THE BLACK LEADING EDGE
WINGS & DARK GREY REAR EDGE WINGS
AND WING TIPS



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - NORTHERN HARRIER
EAGLE LAKES




ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - OSPREY
NOTE BLACK STRIPE THROUGH EYE &
GREY FEET
EAGLE LAKES

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - RED-TAILED HAWK
NOTE THE REDDISH TAIL & WHITE
PATCHES ON BACK
ALONG THE NIAGARA RIVER IN
ONTARIO
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
YOU CAN JUST ABOUT MAKE OUT
THE FORKED TAIL
EAGLE LAKES


ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
THIS IS THE SOUTH FLORIDA TYPE
NOTE THE PALE ORANGE BARS ON CHEST &
RED STREAK ON UPPER WINGS
VARIOUS LOCATIONS

BALD EAGLE
NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: BIRDS & TURTLES

   Sharon and I went for a walk with our dog Kenya in Richmond Green Park in Richmond Hill, ON.  In addition to a few birds,we also took photos of Painted Turtles.  In addition to several single turtles we also saw four turtles together, probably a family.







ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - COMMON GRACKLE

MOURNING DOVE


ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - SONG SPARROW



ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - PAINTED TURTLES