Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: feathered on March 30, 2011, 10:34:44 PM

Title: High Park hawks, Wood Duck and butterflies
Post by: feathered on March 30, 2011, 10:34:44 PM

I watched the Red-tails at High Park spruce up their nest this afternoon with some bark they were peeling off branches. Lots of squirrels around and in the open but the hawks weren't paying them any attention. I also saw a pair of low-flying Cooper's Hawks but they were too quick for me.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5575926182_8cd6fc8b25.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575926182/) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5575923868_47c89d2f1e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575923868/)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5575333861_f37d752acf.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575333861/)

The Wood Ducks were also out and about and this female was surprisingly tame.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5575919416_da6e294ee2.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575919416/)

Butterflies, too! It's almost time for the sakura trees, assuming they bloom this year.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5575914564_7a97ca6e15_m.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575914564/) (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5575909634_f5842a33de_m.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/osteopteryx/5575909634/)

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Post by: KPaw on March 31, 2011, 08:14:43 AM

Great photos!  What part of the park did you see the hawk and those butterflies?

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Post by: feathered on March 31, 2011, 09:32:11 AM

Thank you. The hawks were on the ridge north of the first duck pond and the zoo road. The Mourning Cloak was along one of the west ravine trails and the Tortoiseshell was near Colborne Lodge.

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Post by: JW Mills on March 31, 2011, 12:06:21 PM

All nice shots.
Being a big fan of butterflies, I would've liked to see those pics a lot larger!

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Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 31, 2011, 12:33:26 PM

Excellent shots feathered.  Your butterfly sightings are the first ones to be reported for this spring in the GTA.  I've posted them to the Ontario Butterflies (https://groups.google.com/group/onbutterflies/topics?hl=en) website, hope you don't mind...it keeps everyone in the loop.  :D

Walter

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Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 31, 2011, 12:35:44 PM

Hey Zed,

Click on 'em, they're much bigger on flickr.   :)

Walter

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Post by: Moira on March 31, 2011, 08:46:40 PM

Some nice shots.  I thought it was too early for butterflies - I'm also a big fan. I really like the Wood Duck pic.

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Post by: feathered on March 31, 2011, 09:02:47 PM

Thanks for the comments, everyone! Yep, just click the shots to see the larger ones.

And thanks Walter, I had no idea there was a site for that. Nice to know. :D

Title: early spring butterflies
Post by: Howieh on March 31, 2011, 11:01:17 PM

Great to see the butterflies since this is the first time in years that I didn't see any mourning cloaks, comptons or eastern commas in March - looking forward to the weekend when I should see all three species in the woods across the street (weather permitting of course).

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Post by: steven rose on April 01, 2011, 09:40:05 AM

Butterflies all ready Yippee great find and pictures.
Steve R

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Post by: feathered on April 01, 2011, 11:37:02 AM

Thank you. :)