Plenty of Rain & a Juvenile Trumpeter Swan at Scarborough Bluffs / October 31, 2019

Trumpeter Swans, the largest North American swan were once thought to be extinct. Happily, a few remained and a programme of reintroduction has begun. The duck pond at the bottom of the Bluffs is usually a good place to see them. Today we saw some adults and a juvenile:

Trumpeter Swans (juvenile) and adult
Trumpeter Swan
Trumpeter Swan (juvenile)

Lesser Scaup were also present on the 10 degree, rainy morning:

Lesser Scaup (female)

Species list: trumpeter swan, Canada goose, mallard, American black duck, lesser scaup, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, golden-crowned kinglet, American robin, house sparrow, northern cardinal.  (13 species)

“Bib” Duck (Mallard X Black Duck)
Mallard (female)
Canada Geese
Rock Pigeon
Ring-billed Gull

Park scenes:

Some botany:

Wild-cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Large-tooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata)
Apple
Apples
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Red Osier (Cornus sericea)
Highbush-cranberry (Viburnum opulus)
Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaea)

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

The beech is dipped in wine; the shower
Is burnished; on the swinging flower
The latest bee doth sit.
The low sun stares through dust of gold.
And o’er the darkened heath and wold
The large ghost-moth doth flit.
In every orchard Autumn stands,
With apples in his golden hands.    – Alexander Smith (1829–67)

Miles Hearn

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *