Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Voyageur on March 10, 2011, 09:04:26 AM

Title: Sam Smith Park Trumpeters
Post by: Voyageur on March 10, 2011, 09:04:26 AM
I spotted nineteen individuals in the entrance to the marina basin on the west side of the park at 8: 30 AM today.
There were no visible tags. I counted four Mutes nearby.

I did not see any yellow near the eye but the distance might account for that.
I did take pictures but again the distance even after zooming only confirmed the number of individuals and the black.
The quality is poor but I'll pass them along to anyone wishing to see them.
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Post by: Brian Bailey on March 10, 2011, 11:46:52 AM
Hmmm.  Very unusual.

Are you sure they weren't Tundra Swans?  They're on the move now.  Most go west of the GTA, but we usually have a few small flocks passing through here.

BB
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Post by: dbellilo on March 10, 2011, 11:54:19 AM
tundra swans, o boy! i sure hope so...apparently there are 10,000 in the long point area right now, would love to see some at col. sam...nasty weather out there, however...
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Post by: BIGFRANK on March 10, 2011, 11:55:41 AM
Very possibly Tundras as in my experience it would be strange to see no tagged Trumpeters in a group of 19.
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Post by: dbellilo on March 10, 2011, 12:36:16 PM
tend to agree! might have to go out in the rain to check this out! check out the yellow on their nasty little faces...
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Post by: dbellilo on March 10, 2011, 04:12:23 PM
Believe it or not, I went over to Col. SS today from 1 until 2:30 pm. That's right! In the swan dept. there were no customers save 2 mute swans, but that didn't stop me from walking around for 1.5 hrs with my camera bag in a plastic bag. I sure did feel like a lunatic. I knew in my guts the fleet of swans had already left, and I also knew that the weather will be beautiful this weekend, but I just had to keep walking until I saw the whole park. Luckily, I did see a northern shrike on 3 separate occasions, but he was not in the mood to commune with y.t., unfortunately.
All the best
David B.