Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Brian Bailey on February 21, 2010, 07:11:41 PM

Title: Kestrels & Grebes at Sam Smith Park
Post by: Brian Bailey on February 21, 2010, 07:11:41 PM

Along with most of the usual suspects at Sam Smith Park this afternoon, I found 3 Kestrels: 2 male and 1 female.  Also 3 Horned Grebes (winter plumage) along the outer shore.

The Kestrels appeared to be a pair and a male interloper vying for the female's attention.  There was lots of swooping and calling.  At one point all three were perched in the same tree.

Earlier I watched one of the males devour an unidentified mammal.  It looked too big for a mouse & too small for a rat.  Maybe a mole lured out by the warm temperatures?

BB

Title: Sam Smith Grebes
Post by: Luv2Bird on February 21, 2010, 08:54:43 PM

Saw our first ever Grebes there this aft. too.  Think I have a shot  of a female. Will post shortly.
Also saw several Kestrels.

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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on February 22, 2010, 08:23:06 AM

you guys see it in the west or eastern part?

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Post by: Luv2Bird on February 22, 2010, 12:49:44 PM

We were walking west - there's a bay and a section that juts out facing south  ... we were on the left side of that bay and walked out onto those large rocks.  There was a pair of male n female common mergansers too, but they dove and came up too far away and too much into the sun.

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Post by: BC on February 22, 2010, 06:13:55 PM

Three Horned Grebes were just west of the western peninsula this morning around 10 am. They usually like the bay mentioned above but it was pretty rough and they must have opted for a bit more shelter.