AMERICAN CROW, KLEINBERG, ON

   The birds call, "caaw, caaw, ......" helped to identify it as an American Crow.

WHITE ROCK DOVE, THE BEACHES, TORONTO, ON

   Sharon and I were sitting on a bench on Queen Street in The Beaches in Toronto when along came a flock of pigeons (Rock Doves).  Among them was an almost pure white dove.  This was probably an escaped or released dove.

   White Rock Doves are breed to their color and are used as release doves at ceremonial events.  They are also used as homing pigeons and as racing pigeons ( they don't have to be white).  In the past they have been used as carrier pigeons or messenger pigeons.

   Rock Doves have an inate homing abiliy; they will generally return to their nests and mate.  This has made it relatively easy to breed them to find their way home from long distances.

JUVENILE HOUSE SPARROW, PORT PERRY MARINA, PORT PERRY, ON

JUVENILE & ADULT BREEDING PLUMAGE BONAPARTE'S GULLS, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   The two juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls are on the left and the two adults in breeding plumage are on the right.

MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   Couldn't tell whether this is a Cherry-faced, Ruby or White-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly.

BONAPARTE'S GULL TAKING OFF, NONQUON SEWERAGE TREATMENT LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

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".