Some Out-of-Season Birds at Humber Bay: January 2022

Cormorants are everywhere along the Toronto waterfront during the warmer months.

Double-crested Cormorants in spring

By winter they have headed to the southern USA and the coasts of Mexico. It is rare to see one in our area but, this year, a few juveniles are taking a chance and staying near Humber Bay.

Double-crested Cormorant (juvenile)
Double-crested Cormorant (juvenile)

Like Cormorants, Red-winged Blackbirds are common here in spring and summer. A few will stay near the lake in winter and I saw about half a dozen this morning.

Red-winged Blackbird (juvenile)
Red-winged Blackbird (juvenile)
Red-winged Blackbird (juvenile)
Red-winged Blackbird (male)
Red-winged Blackbird (male)

White-throated Sparrows breed far north of Toronto and we usually see them only in migration. Perhaps because of the number of birdfeeders, more and more seem to spend the winter here.

White-throated Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow

Other birds at Humber Bay this morning.

Pekin Duck
European Starlings
American Robin
Bufflehead (male)
Gadwall (male)
American Goldfinch
American Robin
European Starling
American Goldfinch
Bufflehead (female)
Mourning Dove
Gadwall (male)
Mute Swan
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Cardinal (female)
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Northern Cardinal (female)
Hooded Merganser (male)
Red-tailed Hawk
Hairy Woodpecker (female)
Hooded Mergansers
Hooded Mergansers
American Black Duck

MAILBOX

Hi Miles,
Sorry the snowy owl was not present when you visited the park. A gentleman that was there that day was kind enough to share his photo with me, this is from December 23. Better than my white blob!
All the best.

NATURE POETRY

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.                             – Susan Cooper

Miles Hearn

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