Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: mr.sharp-photo on April 23, 2010, 11:54:52 AM

Title: Don River Trail - April 23 2010
Post by: mr.sharp-photo on April 23, 2010, 11:54:52 AM
There are some interesting things on the trail.
First, the american goldfinches are slowly coming back and you can hear them singing away.  I heard two northern flickers call to each other.  They seemed to come to the trail (near Beechwood and the river) late last summer and were heard today further west of the river.
There were two kingfishers playing tag quite loudly along the river and flying over the walking path. I saw another kingfisher (maybe a third?) fishing briefly.  Last year, we saw a juvie kingfisher, so perhaps there are three.
There are at least two male wood ducks (possibly a third wood duck) swimming among the mallards. If you want to take pictures of them: don't even bother. Unlike the bread-fed ducks at High Park, these scamper away at any hint of a human presence.
They can be observed from the banks 100m or so north of the Beechwood/O'Connor path.
There are some swallows on the path on various points and there also are your usual suspects (RRBB, robins, hairy woodpeckers).
No sign lately of the kestrel that was present last year.
This time last year, there was a great egret and one great blue heron. nothing seen yet.

*edit* two VERY low-flying turkey vultures were also circling the valley.