Quintet of Horned Grebes at Humber Bay / April 29 2019

I quote from my grandfather’s (Dr J. Murray Speirs) writings: In breeding dress the black head, with fiery red eyes and jaunty golden “horns” running back from the eyes to the angle where crown and nape come together is quite distinctive.

The Horned Grebe is mainly a prairie breeder who winters on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

We had a group of 5 in the lake on this chilly (4 degrees), windy and overcast morning.

Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebes
Horned Grebe

Not to be outdone, a quartet of Cowbirds made an appearance:

Brown-headed Cowbirds

Blackbirds were well represented:

Red-winged Blackbird (male)
Red-winged Blackbird (female)
European Starling
Common Grackle

Species list: horned grebe, red-necked grebe, double-crested cormorant, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, lesser scaup, long-tailed duck, bufflehead, red-breasted merganser, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, mourning dove, northern flicker, downy woodpecker, tree swallow, rough-winged Swallow, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, American robin, ruby-crowned kinglet, European starling, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, northern cardinal, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow.  (30 species).

Northern Flicker (female)
Downy Woodpecker (female)
Red-necked Grebe
Tree Swallow
Red-breasted Merganser (male)
Northern cardinal (male)
Rock Pigeon
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
American Robin

Nannyberry buds are starting to open:

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

Some park scenes:

This morning’s group:

NATURE POETRY

April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.        – Sara Coleridge (1802–52)

Miles Hearn

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