BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA, WHITBY, ON

DOMESTIC MUSCOVY DUCK, MILL POND PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

   This duck is either a domestic  Muscovy Duck or a Muscovy-Mallard hybrid.  It has the the red on the face and base of the bill of the Muscovy Duck, but was among a group of Mallards.  It may be a juvenile, so we will wait and see.

SWANS, DUCKS & GEESE, MILL POND PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

CEDAR WAXWING, MILL POND PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH & THISTLE, CENTENNIAL PARK, BARRIE, ON

   This American Goldfinch is a male In breeding plumage on a thistle plant.  American Goldfinch feed on tree buds, weed seed, particularly thistle seed and some insects.

JUVENILE RING-BILLED GULL, LAKE SIMCOE, BARRIE, ON

BREEDING STILT SANDPIPER, NONQUON SEWAGE LAGOONS, PORT PERRY, ON

   Even though it is not a great photo because of the lighting, we can ID this sandpiper as a breeding Stilt Sandpiper as follows:

• Long, drooping bill.
• White eyebrow.
• Long legs with greenish tinge.  You can just make out the greenish tinge on the legs.
• Heavily dark barred underside.
• Dark splotches on the back.

   The Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 309.