It began with an e-mail relating to one other birder’s weblog. Then, the blogger in Panama talked about that he was going to be in Toronto in early October. The blogger in Toronto requested if he want to spend a day birding collectively. That’s how Fitzroy and Leslie grew to become probably the primary writers in current instances from 10000 Birds to fulfill up.
White-crowned Sparrow
My husband and I collected Fitzroy and his spouse, Sue, at their resort on October 1. We had been within the west a part of Toronto, so I made a decision to take them to Colonel Samuel Smith Park in Toronto’s west finish. Like so many parks within the metropolis, this one is situated alongside the Lake Ontario shoreline. The park has wooded areas, marshy areas with ponds, and the waterfront. Within the spring, the wooded areas have flycatchers and songbirds, which embody warblers and sparrows. Within the ponds and marshy areas are waders, equivalent to Black-crowned Evening-Heron. Alongside the waterfront, there’s a tip of land known as Whimbrel Level. It’s a great spot to see migrating shore birds, particularly Whimbrels, which come via in mid-Could. There are all the time attention-grabbing sightings in the course of the Whimbrel watch. This previous Could, an Arctic Tern confirmed up, among the many Frequent Terns. Within the winter, birders come to the park for geese, loons, grebes, and owls.
Injured Dunlin
Our first cease was Whimbrel Level. A Lapland Longspur had been reported there for a few days and it had been seen that morning. Sadly, the chicken disappeared throughout our time there. Nevertheless, I used to be in a position to present Fitzroy American Black Duck and Gadwall, plus Canada Geese and Mallards. Sadly, we discovered an injured Dunlin on the pathway. It stored making an attempt to fly and finally took off. However, we might see the blood on its physique and a leg dangling down. Migration is so laborious for birds. We figured it was attacked by a predator, which we confirmed after we discovered a Merlin close by.
Merlin
Subsequent, we headed over to the marina space. Within the bushes and bushes alongside the best way, we discovered Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets (proven at high of weblog). There have been White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows. Additionally, we had Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers. They loved seeing and getting pictures of two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Exterior of the marina, within the lake, we had Crimson-Necked Grebes and there have been Frequent Mergansers, resting on some logs.
Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
From there, I made a decision to take them to Excessive Park. It’s a a lot bigger park than Sam Smith, with many alternative habitats, which makes it one other nice birding spot. If the winds had been from the north, I’d have taken them to Hawk Hill, throughout the park, for raptor watching. As a substitute, I took them to the duck ponds, close to the kids’s zoo. Our goal chicken was the Wooden Duck. Whereas my husband and I had a picnic lunch, they wandered within the space. They discovered the Wooden Geese, below a bridge. They had been thrilled to see the geese and to get such fantastic images of that good-looking chicken.
Feminine and Male Wooden Geese
The day went too shortly, and it was time to get them again to their resort. It was fantastic to play host to visitor birders and to indicate off a few the good locations to chicken in Toronto. In return, we loved listening to about their birding adventures and to study one thing in regards to the birds of Panama. I hope now we have impressed a few of our fellow bloggers to fulfill up for some friendship and birding.
Word: All pictures are courtesy of Fitzroy Rampersad.
