MATING PAIR OF BLUE DASHER DRAGONFLIES, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   While birding at Nonquon Sewerage Treatment Lagoons we came across these two Blue Dasher Dragonflies mating.  The dragonfly which is completely blue is the male; the other is the female.  The male grasps the female by the head with his claspers at the end of his abdomen.  The male and female then fly in tandem and perch on a twig or plant stem.  The female then curls her abdomen to pick up the seman from the male.  The posture of the two dragonflies is called the "heart" or "wheel".

CEDAR WAXWING, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

BONAPARTE'S GULL-BREEDING & NONBREEDING, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   This photo shows both a nonbreeding (lower left) and breeding (upper right) Bonaparte's Gull.

GREEN DARNER DRAGONFLY, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

LESSER YELLOWLEGS IN FLIGHT, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

KILDEER IN FLIGHT, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

KILDEER, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

COMMON WHITETAIL DRAGONFLY, MILL POND PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

  The Common Whitetail or Long Winged Skimmer is a common dragonfly across most of North America.  This is the male of the species as it has a white body; the female has a brown body.

SONG SPARROW, LAKE WILCOX PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

PURPLE FINCH, THORNHILL, ON

   Just outside the house these Purple Finches' have a nest high in an evergreen tree.  We see them coming and going.  The first photo is of a male, the second of a male and female together and the third of a female.

   We identified these as Purple Finches (vs. House Finch, which is similar) as follows:

• Conical bill, rather than bill with curved culmen of the House Finch
• Female has deeply notched tail vs. slightly notched tail of House Finch
• Female has brown and white pattern on head, rather than plain head of House Finch
• Female has white undertail, rather than tall dark streaks of House Finch

   The purple Finch is a new species for our Life List, which now stands at 141.

OSPREYS IN NEST, CENTENNIAL PARK ROAD CAUSEWAY, CANAL LAKE, ON

EASTERN KINGBIRD, CARDEN ALVAR PROVINCIAL PARK, KIRKFIELD, ON

BARN SWALLOW, CARDEN ALVAR PROVINCIAL PARK, KIRKFIELD, ON

AMERICAN CROW, KIRKFIELD LIFT LOCK, KIRKFIELD, ON

   We identified this bird as an American Crow (vs. Fish Crow) by its call: caaw.  Also the Fish Crow is generally not seen in Ontario.  This is a new species for our Life List which now stands at 140.

NORTHERN FLICKER, KIRKFIELD LIFT LOCK, KIRKFIELD, ON

GREAT BLUE HERON, KIRKFIELD LIFT LOCK, KIRKFIELD, ON

CABBAGE WORM BUTTERFLY, RATTRY MARSH, MISSISSAUGA, ON

RING-BILLED GULL IN FLIGHT, PORT CREDIT, ON

COMMON TERN, CREDIT RIVER, PORT CREDT, ON

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, CREDIT RIVER, PORT CREDIT, ON

CANADA GEESE IN FLIGHT, PORT CREDIT, ON

THREE LITTLE CHICKS (AMERICAN ROBINS), THORNHILL, ON

AMERICAN ROBIN CHICK IN NEST, THORNHILL, ON

AMERICAN ROBIN GUARDING ITS CHICKS, THORNHILL, ON

   The adult robin stayed in this position for quite awhile,  seemingly guarding its chicks.

HUNGRY ROBIN CHICK, THORNHILL, ON

   We just noticed this American Robin's nest right outside the house yesterday.  The chick has its mouth open, probably waiting for dinner.

VARIETY OF BIRDS IN SECOND MARSH, OSHAWA, ON

   Here are four photos of birds on the sandbars and elswhere in Second Marsh.  These photos were taken yesterday.  We could identify the follwing species:

• Double- crested Cormorant
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Caspian Tern
• Canada Goose
• Trumpeter Swan
• Mallard

There may be other species, but they were too far away to identify.

EASTERN KINGBIRD, SECOND MARSH, OSHAWA, ON

GREAT BLUE HERON IN FLIGHT, SECOND MARSH, OSHAWA, ON

GREAT EGRET, SECOND MARSH, OSHAWA, ON



GREAT BLUE HERON, SECOND MARSH, OSHAWA, ON

COMMON GRACKLE, POMONA MILLS PARK, THORNHILL, ON

WHAT IS THIS ROBIN DOING?, THORNHILL, ON

   We are not sure what's in the American Robin's mouth.  It doesn't look like an insect or other food.  It actually looks like a piece of bark from the tree it's on, but we aren't sure.  What's your guess?

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD TAKING OFF, RICHMOND GREEN PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

MOURNING DOVE, POMONA MILLS PARK, THORNHILL, ON

BONAPARTE'S GULL IN FLIGHT, NONQUON SEWERAGE LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

SULPHUR BUTTERFLY ON RED CLOVER, NONQUON SEWERAGE LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

LESSER YELLOWLEGS IN FLIGHT, NONQUON SEWERAGE LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   The Yellowlegs (both the Greater and Lesser) are migrating.  In the spring they migrate to Northern Canada and Alaska, where they breed.  Their breeding season is short and they start their migration south as early as late June.

   We believe this is a Lesser Yellowlegs for the following reasons:

• Bill is about the same length as the head
• Bill is straight - on Greater Yellowlegs it is slightly upturned
• Strips on flanks less extensive than on Greater Yellowlegs