Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Trillian Flummox on March 07, 2012, 02:34:13 PM
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I've heard that a Ring-necked Duck has been a semi-regular here this winter but today was my first lucky day finding him - a lifer for me! He was actually swimming with a female and they very graciously came quite close to shore for me, so I enjoyed a nice long look. I first spotted them around noon, swimming with a small group of scaup, just North of the memorial and East of the little bridge. They continued out to the opening of the channel, then flew back into that first little bay with the weird bright green raft.
Of other interest, I counted 42 Ruddy Ducks in the usual spot (north of the memorial) and noticed that one of the males is now showing his red breeding plumage. The two Black-crowned night herons that spent the winter are still lurking in the trees. There was a lone female White-winged Scoter in the same bay as the Ring-necks. The resident Pintail was nowhere to be seen.
What a gorgeous day for birding!!
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I was at Humber Bay this morning, didn't see any Ring-necked Duck or White-winged Scoter, but had the Ruddy Ducks in their usual spot. Lots of Gadwall in the small ponds. The highlight for me was a Golden-crowned Kinglet and a Cooper's Hawk flying by.
/Thomas
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I too have had lousy luck finding the r.n. ducks this year. Perhaps later today. I was luckless the other day...
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I saw them today in the pond at the south west corner - cavorting with the Gadwalls.
Cheers,
Bernie
http://www.newlight.ca (http://www.newlight.ca)
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A pair of RN Ducks and a female WW Scoter were there Saturday in the same general area as the Ruddy Ducks. The male Ring-necked had very pale flanks, making him hard to pick out from the Scaup. The diagnostic pale shoulder stripe was barely perceptible.
BB