RACOON, NIAGARA FALLS, ON

   We thought it unusual to see a racoon during the day.   However, even though racoons are mostly nocturnal, many will venture out during the day.  This is especially true of females looking for food for their babies back in the den.

JUVENILE BARN SWALLOW, DUFFERIN ISLANDS PARK, NIAGARA FALLS, ON

   This is most likely a juvenile Barn Swallow for the following reasons:

• The feathers on the flange of the swallow are fluffier and less organized than those of an adult.
• There are speckles on the feathers and the colors are somewhat disorganized; this is a sign of a juvenile molting.

EUROPEAN STARLING, DUFFERIN ISLANDS PARK, NIAGARA FALLS, ON

MOLTING MALE SCARLET TANAGER, BEAMER MEMORIAL CONSERVATION AREA, GRIMSBY, ON

   On the way to Niagara Falls today, we stopped off at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby.  Yoy get a great view of Lake Ontario and the surrounding area.  On the way out we sighted this Scarlet Tanager, which is molting.  Normally the male's breeding plumage is bright scarlet and nonbreeding plumage is yellow.  Here you see a mixture of both.  August is the normal month for this transformation to take place.

   This is a new species for our Life List, which now stands at 144

SQUIRREL EATING SUNFLOWER SEEDS, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON

JUVENILE MUTE SWAN ABOUT TO TAKE OFF, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON

   The juvenile Mute Swan can be white or gray-brown, such as this one.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON

   This Yellowlegs can be identified as a Lesser Yellowlegs by the size of its bill compared to the size of its head.  In a Lesser Yellowlegs the bill's length is about the same size as the width of its head, while in a Greater Yellowlegs it is about 1 1/2 x the size.