Any time that I am near Humber Bay, I pop in to have a quick look at which birds are there.

On this day, I spotted a smallish sparrow with a white throat.

My first thought was White-throated Sparrow though this bird did not seem as large as the White-throats I usually see.

Not did it have the yellow above the eye.

This morning’s bird was a Swamp Sparrow. This species averages about 5.75 inches in length compared to the 6.75 inches of the White-throated Sparrow.

In addition, the Swamp Sparrow does not have wing bars as White-throats do:

The two species have very different songs and the Swamp Sparrow is much more often heard than seen in Spring due to its wet habitat.

Other birds:

MAILBOX

Happy Holidays!

I was at Colonel Sam Smith Park today and say what I think is a coyote and want to just confirm that it is. As well she/he was fairly itchy so wasn’t sure if they had an issue with their skin. He had been playing with his food (field mouse) and the last photo shows him tossing it in the air.

Wishing you a fabulous 2022!

Miles note: definitely a coyote.

NATURE POETRY

Tired I was; my head would go
Nodding under the mistletoe
(Pale-green, fairy mistletoe),
No footsteps came, no voice, but only,
Just as I sat there, sleepy, lonely,
Stooped in the still and shadowy air
Lips unseen—and kissed me there.             – Walter de La Mare (1873–1956)

Miles Hearn