We are used to seeing the Black-crowned Night Heron in Toronto during the warmer weather months:
Its southern cousin, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, has been exciting birdwatchers at Col. Sam Smith Park for the past few days.
Yellow-crowned Night Herons breed in tropical and subtropical regions. Toronto is far from their normal habitat.
According to the only information that I could find (from 1985), one was seen at Lake Erie in May 1954, another in 1964 and another in 1974. There is a previous Toronto record from August 1898. Birders at Col Sam remember one from 2014.
MYSTERY BIRD
I will identify it at the end of the post. (I love this comment: I love the mystery bird photos you post. I am scoring about 20%).
I was at Col. Sam Smith Park at dawn and spent two hours searching for Whimbrels. None for me so far. I wasn’t alone even at that hour.
Better luck tomorrow I hope.
Other birds:
MYSTERY BIRD
Olive-green above, yellowish below and two white wing bars identify this as a female Orchard Oriole.
MAILBOX
NATURE POETRY
Hard is his herte that loveth nought
In May, whan al this mirth is wrought. – Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400)
Miles Hearn
Great photos Miles, especially capturing the birds in flight.
I thought your mystery bird was a yellow bellied flycatcher based on Its bill and also head coloration meaning the orchard oriole female has a yellower head does it not?
But I bow to your expertise
Ruth
Wow! Such exciting photos! That “new” variety of Heron, that Heron and Gull! Amazing pictures!
And of course, the other birds are wonderful, too. A female Orchard Oriole? Who would have thunk it? (Certainly not me–20% is doing really well, from my point of view!) And it’s really beautiful!
And Andrew’s bit about the Coyote encounter–scary and fascinating! It’s a good thing he realized what was happening DURING the encounter (It seems).
Thanks, Miles!