Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: stgcn on January 01, 2012, 12:41:53 PM
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Spent part of this morning between 8:00am and 10:30am at CSSP.
Had a 3rd winter Glaucous gull perched with ring-billed gulls at the very southern portion of the the marina docks around 8:30 am. Later, found a Great Black Backed gull at the eastern side of the park, perched and flying between the shoreline bay and the two bays leading out to the lake. Five trumpeter swans (two adults and three juveniles, one bearing wingtag L42) were at the westernmost bay outside the marina entrance near the shoreline. The northern shrike was still present along the main path, about halfway from the last parking lot and the lake, and was seen trying to impale a small rodent on a tree limb. Also had a bald eagle fly low over the western bay shoreline, scattering many of the waterfowl in the process.
An interesting highlight was a juvenile herring gull that I saw flying along the southernmost jetty carrying a bufflehead in its bill! It was being chased by a number of ring-billed gulls. Not much else noteworthy, as the usual winter ducks were also seen as well as a lone red-necked grebe.
On the wildlife side, saw two mink working the shoreline as well as a coyote skulking in phragmites/bullrushes not far from the wooden deck observatory that overlooks the duck pond.
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That's a pretty interesting list of sightings for sure!
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Nice! I was there yesterday and didn't see the shrike, but had a male kestrel swooping and hovering quite close, as well as a red-tail. Had an adult GBB gull off the west point and a first winter over the water on the east side. Lots of ring-bills and a few herring. There were three greater scaup mixed in with the mallards on the east beach very close to shore, and three coots preening by the rock wall.
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I also saw the american kestrel. I've never had a closeup on him, he's a colourful little bird.