GREAT BLUE HERON, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

MUTE SWAN PREENING ITSELF, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

BREEDING RED-NECKED GREBES & CHICKS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   The first two photos show an adult Red-necked Grebe with its two chicks.  The third photo shows  adult'smate bringing a fish it caught to the family.

JUVENILE SHORT-BILLED DOWTCHER, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, TORONTO, ON

   We can ID this dowitcher as a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher rather than a Long-billed Dowitcher as follows:

• Slightly decurved bill.  The Long-billed has a relatively straight bill.
• V-shaped white feather tips of the covert feathers.  The Long-billed has squared-off feather tips.
• "Tiger-striped" tertials, but with wiggly lines and partial bars.  This indicates the Short-billed Dowitcher is a juvenile.  The juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher has no tertial bars or stripes, while the adults of both species usually have tertial bars in a regular pattern.

CAPE MAY WARBLER, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON

   We can ID this warbler as a Cape May Warbler of the bright variety as follows:

• Bright yellow throat and face.
• Eye-arcs and dark eyeline.
• Sharp, dark bill.
• Dark streaking on underparts.
• Olive-gray cap.
• White wing patch.
• Cheek patch is grayish, rather than chestnut.  This would indicate that this Cape May Warbler may be a breeding female or a juvenile.