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