Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Flyingbass on January 17, 2014, 09:42:53 AM

Title: Great Blue Heron at Downsview Park?
Post by: Flyingbass on January 17, 2014, 09:42:53 AM

Hello all,

It has been a great couple of days at Downsview Park, I saw a Northern Shrike 2 days ago and a Peregrine yesterday.  Today I saw something completely unexpected, I think I saw a Great Blue Heron.  

It flew directly over me, I clearly saw the long legs and the feet.  It had a dark grey underside and had a slow and deliberate wing beat.  During our Christmas Bird Count a number of very experienced birders identified a Great Blue Heron so I know that they occasionally stay for parts of the winter.  I just thought that with our recent extreme cold snap any remaining herons would have died.  Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jonny

Title: Re: Great Blue Heron at Downsview Park?
Post by: Rotarran on January 17, 2014, 10:37:06 AM

Some do stay if they can find someplace to catch fish.  I think they may be feeding at some of the streams at Downsview Dells.  I have never been to Downsview Dells but from maps I can see it has some streams that may stay unfrozen depending on the speed of the current.  If not, G. Lord Ross Park is also quite close and often has unfrozen sections of water.