Long-tailed Ducks at Ashbridges Bay: October 30, 2020

Long-tailed Ducks have always been my favourite duck, riding out storms on wintry Lake Ontario in great numbers.

Long-tailed Ducks

They dive to great depths for little pea clams.

Long-tailed Ducks (male)

Long-tailed ducks “talk” constantly: “Ow-ow-oo-ah”.

Long-tailed Duck (male)
Long-tailed Duck (male)
Long-tailed Ducks

Today’s were the first I have seen this season.

Long-tailed Ducks

Other birds:

Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Mergansers
Red-breasted Mergansers
Red-breasted Merganser
Mute Swans
Mallards
Mallards (male)
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee

Species list: mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, red-breasted merganser, long-tailed duck, turkey vulture, short-eared owl, ring-billed gull, black-capped chickadee, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet, northern cardinal, American goldfinch.  (14 species)

Some botany:

Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra)
Hawthorn (Crataegus)
Red Ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica)
European Black Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
Shelf Mushroom
Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Silver Maple (Acer sachharinum)
Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)
White Sweet-clover (Melilotus alba)
Red-osier (Cornus sericea)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

Park scenes:

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky.                                    – William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

Miles Hearn

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