My grandfather used to say that it was a “red letter” day when a gadwall was spotted in the Toronto area. As winters become somewhat less chilly, many gadwall are spending the cold months here. The name “gadwall” was first seen in print in 1666 and the origin is obscure. Perhaps it comes from the verb “gad” meaning to “go out and search for pleasure.”

There were several dozen gadwall at Ashbridge’s Bay today on the 4 degree, overcast and very windy morning.

Ashbridge’s Bay is an excellent place to find chickadees who will take feed from your hand.

Species list:  Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, bufflehead, ring-billed gull, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, song sparrow.  (9 species)

Some botany:

Park scenes:

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

O sweet September rain!
I hear it fall upon the garden beds,
Freshening the blossoms which begin to wane.  – Mortimer Collins (1827–76)

Miles Hearn