In 1899, there was a colony of eight summer tenants on Ward’s Island paying $10 rent for the season. At its peak in the 1950’s, the Island residential community extended from Ward’s Island to Hanlan’s Point and was made up of some 630 cottages and homes, in addition to amenities including a movie theatre, a bowling alley, stores, hotels and dance halls.  Not long after its creation in 1953, Metropolitan Toronto Council undertook to remove the community and replace it with public parkland. (Wikipedia)

I imagine that a flock of House Sparrows arrived just when residents did and have been here ever since.

We saw their descendants this morning:

Other birds:

Today’s group:

MAILBOX

A man was out hunting geese around Lake Erie after the “big Christmas storm.” But he found some of them frozen in the lake – so he turned into a “rescuer” that day. 😊👍🏻

NATURE POETRY
Close by the jolly fire I sit  
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore  
The colder countries round the door.   – Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94)

Miles Hearn