Gadwall & Hungry Chickadees at Ashbridge’s Bay / November 1, 2019

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.

Gadwall (male)
Gadwall (female)
Gadwalls
Gadwall (male)
Gadwall (male)

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

Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee

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

Dark-eyed Junco (male)
Mallard (male)
Canada Goose

Some botany:

Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Kentucky Coffee-tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
Basswood (Tilia americana) showing growth holes in rows.
Gray Dogwood (Cornus foemina)
Tamarack (Larix laricina)
Hawthorn (Crataegus)
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

Park scenes:

evidence of Beaver
Squirrel

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

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