WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2024

 

MALE BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2024

 

RING-BILLED GULLS & MALE & FEMALE MALLARDS ON ROCKS IN LAKE, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2028

 

MALE & FEMALE MALLARDS & MALE RED--NECKED GREBE. HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2024

   This is the same male Red-necked Grebe that was helping to fix up the nest in a previous post.

 

RED-NECKED GREBES ASLEEP, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2024

 

RED-NECKED GREBES: FEMALE GOT INTO NEST, MALE BROUGHT MORE NEST MATERIAL & FEMALE WOULD REARRANGE IT, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, 4/28/2024

   These male and female Red-necked Grebes were fascinating to watch.  When I first saw them both Red-necked Grebes were swimming near and around the nest platform (see 1st photo).  There was a nest on the platform that they had already made.  After a few minutes the female Red-necked Grebe got into the nest.  It looks like she might be ready to lay her eggs soon.  Before this and while she was in the nest, the male Red-necked Grebe swam back and forth to the nest with new nest material (see photos 2,3,4,6,8,9,11 & 12).  The female would periodically rearrange the nest material to her liking (see 7th photo).

 

MALE & FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, HUMBER BAY PARK (EAST), TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/28/2024

 

SWAMP SPARROW, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

   This photo was taken while I was taking a photo of another bird, so the camera wasn't focused on this bird.  It just happened to come into the frame and then flew away.  Even though it's a poor photo, I believe this is a Swamp Sparrow because of its rufous crown, rufous wings, rufous tail, dark streaks on back and buffy flanks with obscure darker streaks.

 

MALE & FEMALE LONG-TAILED DUCKS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

TREE SWALLOWS, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

MUTE SWAN WITH FEATHERS BEING BLOWN BY STRONG WIND, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

FEMALE & IMMATURE MALE BUFFLEHEADS, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024+

   I have identified the Buffleheads as follows:

      1st Photo - Immature male Bufflehead

      2nd Photo - Both Buffleheads are female

      3rd & 4th Photos - Immature male Bufflehead

 

MALE EUROPEAN STARLING IN BREEDING PLUMAGE, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

AMERICAN ROBIN ON GROUND WITH TAIL OPEN, ASHBRIDGE'S BAY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 4/26/2024

 

MUTE SWAN DABBLING FOR FOOD, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024

   Swans feed by "dabbling", that is by staying on the surface of the water and not diving down for their food.  Plants are the majority of their diet, but they also eat small aquatic animals, such as fish, insects and invertebrates.

 

A VERY IRIDESCENT MALE COMMON GRACKLE, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024

 

MOURNING DOVE, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024

 

MALE & FEMALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024

   The first photo shows a male Red-winged Blackbird and the second photo shows a female.

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NORTHERN CARDINAL, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024

 

CEDAR WAXWING EATING A BERRY & ANOTHER PERCHED, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ONTARIO, 4/22/2024