Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: KPaw on April 22, 2009, 09:34:10 AM
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Beautiful Great Egret at the pond yesterday. Stunning creature. My pictures are not worthy of posting; however, his complete white coloring (save his bill and legs) and stillness make photos very easy to take.
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which part of the pond? i assume the northern, more narrow part
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Yes, that is correct. That is where he ended up. The same area where the GBH was all last summer. However, prior to that he flew across the foot path (this is what caught my eye) and landed in a tree right along the path where he stayed for about 10 minutes. Then, as I say, he ended up in that swampy, marshy area.
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Thanks for the update soon as this weather breaks I will be looking for him lol!
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Thanks for the update, will check it out later on
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Okay, I went back this afternoon (Wed.) and he was at the same place.
As you walk south on the footpath along side GP and as you come to the wider section of the pond (where the pair of swans usually reside) he is in a tree right there. You could get some excellent pictures. On my way back, he had flown across the pond and was in a tree just about where the female swan is nesting. You know all the rocks in the pond where the Cormorants usually perch? He is just in front of them in a tree on the footpath. Hope this helps.
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Thanks Kpaw, are you sure it is the Egret, I know from last week there is a Black Capped Night Heron nesting just to the right and behind the swan...it does not really matter I will probably be there Friday Morning to scout around...
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Hi Niloc, definitely the Egret. I actaually went back tonight to get a better picture. There was a gentlemen there who clearly knew of what he spoke and he said it was without a doubt the Great Egret. What a beauty.
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Niloc, I will be there Friday morning also. If I see a guy with a camera I am going to say Hello!
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Okay, I went back this afternoon (Wed.) and he was at the same place.
As you walk south on the footpath along side GP and as you come to the wider section of the pond (where the pair of swans usually reside) he is in a tree right there. You could get some excellent pictures. On my way back, he had flown across the pond and was in a tree just about where the female swan is nesting. You know all the rocks in the pond where the Cormorants usually perch? He is just in front of them in a tree on the footpath. Hope this helps.
thanks for the deails. I think i know where the swans hang out (near the reedy part of the pond). only been to GP once, and that was last week. will be there on sunday and hopefully the crowds won't scare any birds away!
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I was there today and can confirm that the Egret was there in the little canal that leads back to the retention pond. He took off and flew down lake side at about 4pm.
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i also saw the great egret today, in the same location. he seemed to be getting into an argument with a night heron ;)
also saw a red tailed hawk, 10 or so wood ducks, and TONS of baby painted turtles :)
was on the lookout for the baby wallaby, but no such luck :(
there was also a mallard that looked to be crossed with a wood duck. it had the same white spots on it's cheek as the female, and a very pale bill...who knows? an interesting find.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/angelicque/P1200465.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/angelicque/P1200471.jpg)
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Angelicque, I saw about ten of those rather odd looking ducks this week. I was searching through all my books attempting to identify them but just had no clue. I am so glad you posted that pic and that you saw one also.
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Angelicque, I saw about ten of those rather odd looking ducks this week. I was searching through all my books attempting to identify them but just had no clue. I am so glad you posed that pic and that you saw one also. I am at GP regularly and they only turned up this week...
Those ducks have always been there, they are hybrids appearently a mix of Mallard and Teal...there are also 2 Ducks larger then the Mallards they are of Mallard and some kind of goose mix...I think somewhere on this site somebody discussed them before..I have also taken pics of the goos/duck mix....
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My that is a beautiful Egret
my favorite of all
hence my name
Must get over there
to see this
Egret :)
tks for px
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They are domestic Saxony ducks. There was a third but he perished last September. They are ultra friendly, always together and don't fly.
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i took a video of the Saxoney ducks a few years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYJzZPsQ0_8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYJzZPsQ0_8)
i also got a great capture of my favorite, who must be the one that perished as i haven't seen her in a long, long time...
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/62476622/ (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/62476622/)
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Angelicque, there is a member on here - veganbonnie - she has lovely pictures of the large domestic duck that perished at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonnieshul ... 860989378/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonnieshulman/sets/72157605860989378/)
I think, but am not sure, that the picture of your white duck is the same one. At any rate, those three large ducks are beautiful as is the picture you took.
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that would be the very same family i have been following :)
in 2006, there were 4 of them - the white domestic, the two mallard male crosses (although now i am sure one of the males is a saxony), and the mallard female cross. the mallard female cross was my favorite :)
she disappeared in 2007, sadly :(
the white domestic, i am assuming, must be the one that perished last september...that is really too bad. they made such a lovely (and friendly!) family...
hopefully the two males stick around for a while!
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i found her flickr, and i see that it was my favorite that passed away this year. i thought she passed a few years ago. she was such a beautiful bird...