Outdoor Ontario

Wildlife Reports => Toronto Wildlife => Topic started by: Brian Bailey on July 16, 2011, 11:18:49 PM

Title: Amberwings and a Fawn - Humber River
Post by: Brian Bailey on July 16, 2011, 11:18:49 PM

Kayaking in the Humber River this afternoon, I found a fawn that didn't really know what to make of me.  He gave me a few sniffs, but still couldn't decide.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DfCOlpLH_io/TiJPR0sn5NI/AAAAAAAACYc/-Vh4xIV-ssY/s640/_MG_2953b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/MiscellaneousCritters?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXXjLGuto3VJw#5630149651788719314)
Momma was no where to be seen.
Nearby was this Painted Turtle (the only turtle I saw):
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KZKt7ALbuVs/TiJPQ-zMmEI/AAAAAAAACYY/b8hi9ITsVQg/s640/_MG_2968b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/MiscellaneousCritters?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXXjLGuto3VJw#5630149637320775746)
The bigest surprise for me was the number of Eastern Amberwings.  I don't thing I've ever seen one in Toronto, but they were the most common dragonfly by far.  I was trying to get one on a nice perch but this one decided he liked the bow of my boat:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J7_akcRa38g/TiJOIyr3SVI/AAAAAAAACXM/QViYwykv-1E/s512/_MG_2925b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/Bugs#5630148397118212434)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-THZgpDH1sqw/TiJOLhVN1sI/AAAAAAAACXQ/K51vpAS7kW4/s512/_MG_2928b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/Bugs#5630148443999426242)
After missing several great images, this was the best natural perch shot I got:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HME_Er0Zzcw/TiJON_E5l8I/AAAAAAAACXc/fV-mCinoGp8/s640/_MG_3047b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/Bugs#5630148486343792578)
There were lots of female Eastern Forktails in one of the marshes:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DsR-j-UYNxg/TiJOMQKoFaI/AAAAAAAACXU/SA7QaqFz45Q/s640/_MG_3036b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/Bugs#5630148456571475362)
And this Blue Dasher waited patiently for me to figure out a challenging lighting situation:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CEr3KM1lJe4/TiJOMw88K2I/AAAAAAAACXY/ztYg99gJwL4/s640/_MG_3024b.jpg) (https://picasaweb.google.com/n.stop.photo/Bugs#5630148465372441442)

This area is usually a great place for Great Egrets, but I only saw one today.

BB

Title:
Post by: JW Mills on July 17, 2011, 11:45:01 AM

Looks like you had  a nice day with some nice shots!
The Eastern Forktail looks like an Orange Bluet to me.

Title:
Post by: Brian Bailey on July 17, 2011, 01:29:35 PM

Quote from: "zed"

The Eastern Forktail looks like an Orange Bluet to me.

Right you are  :oops: I'll blame a heat fuddled brain.  It certainly explains the (apparent) abundance of immature Eastern Forktails.  :wink:

BB

Title:
Post by: Bluffs Birder on July 17, 2011, 04:16:07 PM

There has been a number of Eastern Amberwing dragonflies at Scarborough Bluffs Park this past week.  I'm really new to the world of dragonflies so unfortunately I don't know if they're common or not in this park.

Walter