Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Niloc on March 31, 2009, 05:23:59 PM

Title: Wood Ducks High Park
Post by: Niloc on March 31, 2009, 05:23:59 PM

(Thanks to Steve Rossi from this site pointing out that High Park indeed had some resident Wood Ducks)...... I saw 1 Male and 1 Female Wood Duck most of the pics are the male, I checked around the pond there was 1 other M&F couple but they flew off, these series of photographs were taken on the shoreline of a pond that was covered by trees so although the sun was out it depended on where the ducks were in the pond for lighting.... cheers

http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337490.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337490.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337500.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337500.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337511.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337511.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337518.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337518.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337522.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337522.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337528.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337528.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337539.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337539.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337546.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337546.html#photo)
http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337550.html#photo (http://www.colinmarcano.com/photo2337550.html#photo)

Title: wood ducks
Post by: steve rossi on March 31, 2009, 07:32:55 PM

Hi Niloc ,you have some nice shots there and I checked out some of your other shots, very good.
You have some very good bird in flight shots and I know they can be hard to optain.
I`am am heading back to High Park this weekend and the Leslie St spit on Good Friday.
Also at High Park I got a shot of a Northern Shoveler, I`ll put a link to that in the photo gallery.

Title:
Post by: Niloc on March 31, 2009, 07:42:55 PM

Thanks for the compliments, you know I also took some pics of a bird I did not know, I was going to look it up but I beleive it was your shoveler, colourful duck with a large bill, you should check out the Brickworks there is a Great Blue Heron that frequents and I counted 5 Redtail Hawks...btw what equipment are you using your lens seems like it could be a 2.8 judging by the clearity of your Wood Duck shot...

Title: shoveler
Post by: steve rossi on March 31, 2009, 07:55:05 PM

Hi Niloc,the shoveler does have a large bill , no mistaking it. When I looked through your pics ,I saw your shots at the brickworks and was going to ask you where it was, I will definately check it out.
The lense I used for the shot is a 500mm f4 with a 1.4 T.C. , it is a very sharp lense even with the teleconverter attached. What lense where you using for your shots.

Title:
Post by: Niloc on March 31, 2009, 08:07:02 PM

500mm f4 sounds like a Bigma??? what kind of camera, I am using the Olympus E3 with a Zuiko 70-300mm 4.0 - 5.6 telephoto great lens for macro and telephoto work, of course because my thing is in flight I really want to get the Sigma 50-500mm for longer distance and eventually the be all and end all of Olympus lenses the 2.8 300mm Telephoto but that bad boy is about 6k...lol

Title: canon
Post by: steve rossi on March 31, 2009, 08:33:04 PM

Hi Niloc ,The camera I use is a canon, the 500 is also canon, but I have seen some really good shots with the bigma.
The 500 f4  is really heavy so it would be difficult for birds in flight shots, I have a 400 f5.6 which is light and really good for in flight shots. But I must say you have some very good birds in flght shots with your setup.

Title: Bird Photography
Post by: JimmyM on April 03, 2009, 02:22:43 PM

Hi Niloc ,
The pictures you posted look great . I've come to realize that taking pictures would add a whole new dimension to birding for me . Recently I've spotted a belted kingfisher, locally , and a cuban trogon while on vacation - alas no camera to take shots like you do.
If you don't mind, approx. how much would I have to pay to purchase a camera to take good quality pictures ?
Thanks,
Jim

Title: Re: Bird Photography
Post by: Niloc on April 03, 2009, 04:25:28 PM

Quote from: "JimmyM"

Hi Niloc ,
The pictures you posted look great . I've come to realize that taking pictures would add a whole new dimension to birding for me . Recently I've spotted a belted kingfisher, locally , and a cuban trogon while on vacation - alas no camera to take shots like you do.
If you don't mind, approx. how much would I have to pay to purchase a camera to take good quality pictures ?
Thanks,
Jim

Thanks for you comments Jimmy, your question would take way too much typing to answer and it depends on too many variables however here is a site to check out, look through to find your subject matter and it will give you a better idea - cheers

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1002 (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1002)

Title: elusive wood ducks
Post by: suecan on April 05, 2009, 11:31:11 PM

I went searching for the wood ducks today at the North end of Grenadier Pond up to Wendigo pond, but not a wood duck in sight-in fact not much bird life at all. Mind you most sensible birds would have been far away as there was an Easter Egg Hunt, movie shoot and Environmental Day not to mention scores of  families just out for a stroll!
I guess I'll try on a week day-am I looking in the right place?

Title: Wood Ducks and Others at Grenadier Pond, High Park
Post by: KPaw on April 05, 2009, 11:36:16 PM

Hi, the Wood Ducks were fairly constant in Grenadier Pond last summer and early fall, quite a lot of them actually.  Just in the past week, two have made an appearance.  
The Northern Shovelers and Buffleheads stopped over last fall and now are stopping over again.  Have to stand for a bit and watch for the Buffleheads as they stay under the water so long you think you imagined seeing their black and white little heads but they are about right now in the northerly section of Grenadier Pond.

Title:
Post by: melaniese on April 06, 2009, 07:11:26 AM

Visited High Park on Sunday and the two Wood Ducks were present. However they were on the far east side of the pond. The Shoveler was also there. At first it was close to the path, but worked it's way over and was hanging out with the Wood Ducks.

Title: wood ducks
Post by: steve rossi on April 06, 2009, 10:01:04 AM

I was at High Park on Sunday and saw several wood ducks in duck pond around 9-10 am ,we then went down to grenadier pond but did not see one ,although I talked to one lady who had seen there earlier.
It seems duck pond is your best bet for spotting them and when you do they are fairly close and you can some good photo oppertunties there,
There is a little island there they hang around there, if at first you don`t spot them ,they will eventually come around.

Title:
Post by: David the park stroller on April 06, 2009, 10:26:35 AM

Baed on my calendar we're still a touch early for the main crowd of nesters. Last year I counted 20 plus in the duck pond.

Title:
Post by: tdong on April 06, 2009, 03:55:27 PM

lovely,  I was about to check it out yesterday but there was a movie shooting there I couldn't get a parking.

are they at the small ponds near spring road and parkside ?

Title: wood ducks
Post by: steve rossi on April 06, 2009, 05:17:53 PM

yes that`s were they are, they are in the pond with the island , here`s a link of a few pictures I took yesterday. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3419440164/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3419440164/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3418633917/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3418633917/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3418633145/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sspike/3418633145/)

Title:
Post by: Niloc on April 06, 2009, 05:21:34 PM

Steve awsome shots really nice work...

Title:
Post by: steve rossi on April 06, 2009, 05:24:06 PM

Thanks Niloc, they were really out preforming yesterday.

Title:
Post by: Niloc on April 06, 2009, 05:32:09 PM

I was out of town in Kincardine so unable to check them out again, looks like from this post there are Wood Ducks at various locations around High Park, I did not even check the duck pond I saw mine right on Grenedier pond, also was able to observe a m & f fly up into the trees saw them sitting there but was not able to get a pic, soon as there is some blue sky I will take another crack at them, btw the other duck I guess a shoveller or soemthing another great capture!

Title:
Post by: Anonymous on April 24, 2009, 02:11:51 AM

Today I saw no less than 6 pairs - 4 in Grenadier Pond and 2 in Wendigo Pond.  None sighted in the ponds on the eastern side of the park.

Title: Wood ducks
Post by: birdstitcher on April 27, 2009, 05:40:55 PM

I went to High Park after work this morning. I saw the woods ducks in the upper duck pond, one pair and 3 males. So beautiful! I also saw a pair in one of the big trees by Colborne Lodge. They were both quite vocal and did seem happy that I was there. Later on, I do believe I found their nesting cavity high up in a dead tree. She was sitting inside, could just see her head, and he was outside it on the branch. The tree is not near Colborne Lodge, and they should not be disturbed by alot of park traffic.

I also saw three turkey vultures roosting in the trees at the back area of the lower duck pond. I have never seen them so close before!

And be prepare to be accosted if you take the Nature Trail that takes you up to the back of Colborne Lodge. A male downy and 2 chickadees followed me the whole way expecting handouts.

Sorry, no pics as I don't own a camera. But, thank you to all of you who post your photos, I love seeing all the beauty you capture!

Kerri

Title:
Post by: cocosally on May 02, 2009, 02:26:04 PM

I was there this morning and there were 5 pairs of wood ducks with 2 single males.  I think I met quite a few of you guys there? There were about 7-10 photographers with "Bazooka" ^_^