The Clay-coloured Sparrow is a common inhabitant of shrubby country in the prairies. In Ontario it will occur almost anywhere where suitable habitat exists.


The sharply outlined ear patch is the best identification tool.



Clay-coloured Sparrows winter in Mexico.

We also had White-crowned Sparrows this morning. These were juveniles who show a brown crown.


In Ontario, the White-crowned Sparrow nests mainly in the vicinity of James and Hudson Bays.

They winter in the Southern United States and Mexico.

Here is the mature bird:

Other birds:





















High Park is the best place to see Wood Ducks during most months of the year:









Species list: double-crested cormorant, mallard, wood duck, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, house sparrow, European starling, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, clay-coloured sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow. (22 species)
Friendly chipmunk:


Several of us saw a fox before the walk. Here are photos from a previous walk:


Today’s group:

Views from “Hawk Hill” at dawn:






NATURE POETRY
It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet. – Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt (1836–1919)
Miles Hearn
Beautiful dawn colours; wonderful birds, trees, wildlife…
The male wood ducks look like designer models. It is like an artist chose the patterns and the colours. Black squirrels are what I always see in Toronto. At our cottage which is north of Peterborough we see only reddish coloured squirrels and some chipmunks.