The World Through Our Lens
Earlier this past fall, visitors to Milliken Park in northeast Scarborough would have noticed that only two Trumpeter Swans were inhabiting the main pond where previously there had been a family of four. Tango, the female or pen, was diligently caring for her one remaining cygnet after the untimely death of her other baby in mid-September. Read more
At the height of the past spring’s migration, Bob and I made a plan to check out Ashbridge’s Bay Park at the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Toronto. Hundreds of sightings had been reported there the previous week, so we were up much earlier than usual and on site in the parking lot before the sun’s rays were much above the horizon. It was fairly late in the morning, however, when we discovered this female American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) in the middle of a dense thicket of trees. Read more
One summer, people had been reporting sightings of one, if not two, Juvenile Least Bitterns that have been hanging out at Colonel Samuel Smith Park at the lakeshore in Toronto. Bob and I went to the Park to look for a flutter of Monarch Butterflies one morning, but coming up empty-handed, we turned our attentions to birdwatching. It wasn’t too far from our location on Whimbrel Point that we found one of the Least Bitterns. The bird was much smaller than expected. Read more
Bob and I recently visited Lower Reesor Pond in north Toronto because it is fairly close to our home and the day’s weather was uncertain. There had been recent reports of a Green Heron sighted there, and we were keen to see for ourselves what waterfowl might be on location. One of the birds that pleased us that day was a Solitary Sandpiper. Read more
Over the summer, Bob and I made numerous trips to Tommy Thompson Park. It all started when we went to look for Monarch Butterfly larvae. On one subsequent trip to the Park, we ventured further out on the Spit than usual and were quite pleased to find an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) perched on a tree stump in the middle of the first large pond. Read more
Bob and I take regular walks to Milliken Park, in Toronto because we find that the variety of habitats found there encourages an assortment of birds and animals at any given time of the year. Based on a tip from my sister, we hit the pavement in hopes of seeing some Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), and we were stunned by the numbers around the south pond. Read more
Of the various Warblers frequenting our backyard one spring, it was the Pine Warblers and this Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) that made the longest stays. We experienced long periods without rain that spring so the water fountain on our property was a real attraction for a lot of migrating birds. Read more
What a delightful day we had birdwatching at Ashbridge’s Bay Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a park we had never visited before. One Sunday this past spring, Bob and I ventured there because it seemed to offer some of the best prospects for seeing migrating birds. Although more expert eyes probably picked out umpteen species, we managed to sight over a dozen ourselves including this little gem, a Palm Warbler. In breeding plumage, its dull red cap is diagnostic. Read more
It had been two weeks since Bob and I first spotted the two Trumpeter Swan cygnets at Milliken Pond, and they seemed to be thriving. We dropped by the park one day to check on their well-being and were thrilled to see them paddling along with nary a care in the world. Read more