BIRDING TRIP TO LESLIE STREET SPIT/TOMMY THOMPSON PARK - APRIL 25, 2015

   Yesterday Sharon and I took a birding trip to the Leslie St. Spit in Toronto.  The Toronto Ornithological Club had a field trip to the spit and we were supposed to meet them at the spit's entrance.  However, due to a number of circumstances we were too late and so we ended up birding ourselves for most of the trip.  Later on in the afternoon we did run into them, however, we decided not to join up with them.  We did however hook up with one of the members of the group (Ross) who was going in our direction.  Ross was great to walk along with as he was a very experienced birder and knew where to find the birds.
   Leslie St. Spit is a great birding hotspot in Toronto.  So far, it's the best hotspot we've been to.   The spit is a man made peninsula that juts out 3 miles into Lake Ontario, roughly in  southwest direction.  The spit was constructed starting in the late 1950's.  It was used and still is, as a dumping ground for clean fill - rubble and earth from construction and dredge material.
   The spit has been colonized by a variety of plant life and more than 300 species of birds have been sighted on the spit, including 45 that breed there.  In 2000 the spit was designated as an "Important Bird Area" by BirdLife International.
   Here are photos from the Leslie St. Spit.

 

DESIGNATION OF LESLIE ST. SPIT

AS AN IMPORTANT BIRD AREA

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MUTE SWAN

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - TRUMPETER SWAN

FLOCK OF SWANS IN WATER

PROBABLY TRUMPETER SWANS

CANADA GOOSE

MALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

MALLARDS: MALE ON LEFT,
FEMALE ON RIGHT

MALE GREATER SCAUP

FEMALE GREATER SCAUP

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - HERRING GULL

RING-BILLED GULL

ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - ROOST OF
RING-BILLED GULLS

ROOST OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - OUR INTREPID
BIRDERS AT WATERBIRD VIEWING
AREA - SHARON & GEORGE

ABOVE 4 PHOTOS - CLOSEUP VIEW OF
 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT ROOST
AND INDIVIDUAL CORMORANTS

KILDEER

MALE REDHEAD

MALE BUFFLEHEAD

FEMALE BUFFLEHEADS

ABOVE 3 PHOTOS - NORTHERN FLICKER

DOWNY WOODPECKER 

RED-NECKED GREBE: ADULT WITH
BREEDING PLUMAGE ON RIGHT;
IMMATURE GREBE ON LEFT

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MALE LONG-TAILED
DUCK WITH MOST OF ITS BREEDING
PLUMAGE

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - MALE TREE SWALLOW

MALE BLUE-WINGED TEAL

ABOVE 2 PHOTOS - GREAT HORNED OWL

MALE CANVASBACK

MIXTURE OF MALE & FEMALE
CANVASBACKS & OTHER BIRDS
TOP CENTER: MALE CANVASBACK
ON LEFT, FEMALE ON RIGHT

VIEWS FROM LESLIE ST. SPIT

AUTOMATED LIGHTHOUSE AT END OF SPIT