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Outdoor Ontario

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11
Anything Goes / Bloor-Yorkville Annual Spring Flower Show: Yay, Okay or Nah?
« Last post by Charline on May 10, 2025, 09:35:27 AM »
Fleurs de Villes in Bloor-Yorkville is where flowers meet fashion. in the spring of 2025. Right in the heart of Toronto, the luxury and trendy neighborhood is transformed by blooms. Floral art lines the streets. Designers and florists turn petals into couture. Every display tells a story. Every corner feels like spring. Let’s explore the magic together.

https://youtu.be/XxxVQcXJmp4
12
Toronto Wildlife / Re: Squirrel Tales: Cinnamon Morphs, Firework Tails & Red Rascals!
« Last post by Charline on May 10, 2025, 12:20:22 AM »
Quote from: Shortsighted on May 09, 2025, 01:03:32 PM
Hair dye and ... contacts?


Been there, done that?  ;)
13
Ontario Birds / May 9th - Highway closure
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 09, 2025, 01:18:59 PM »
No bird super highway along the bluffs today ... just a kinglet and one Blue-headed vireo.  Away from the bluff was also quiet.  I relocated farther north to see where the warblers all went.  Always been a sucker for flycatchers ... don't know why, so seeing a Great crested flycatcher this morning (again) I was primed to work the area.  Also saw FOY kingbird, but no photo.  Warblers were only Myrtle, Palm and N. parula.  Thought that I spotted a Tennessee warbler but turned out to be a FOY Red-eyed vireo.



Off the brink of the bluffs ... far away and below me ... Blue-headed vireo

\
Cedar waxwing


Eastern phoebe


Northern Parula



Great crested flycatcher (in the shade).


Arnold, the oriole.  A fellow was putting out seed for a grosbeak and I suggested a half of an orange to attract an oriole but on repeated visits I noticed he didn't take my advise ... no one ever does.  I sometimes have a half orange in a zip-lock bag and put it on a log and then return later.Hit and miss, really.  I love those hits.
14
Toronto Wildlife / Re: Squirrel Tales: Cinnamon Morphs, Firework Tails & Red Rascals!
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 09, 2025, 01:03:32 PM »
Hair dye and ... contacts?
15
Toronto Wildlife / Re: Squirrel Tales: Cinnamon Morphs, Firework Tails & Red Rascals!
« Last post by Charline on May 09, 2025, 12:25:57 PM »

I initially thought Cinnmon's partial blue eye was a cataract. But it seems that Cinnamon can still see with that eye. Now I am not sure what it is. Maybe it was just a partial blue eye?
16
Ontario Birds / Re: May 8th -- Bluffs were a bird super highway
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 09, 2025, 11:16:52 AM »
Yesterday was not a typical day in the park, that's for sure.  All the action was confined to the edge of the bluffs, hence the super highway analogy, because they were moving both east and west in the tree tops and from the brink of the bluffs the treetops are often below the camera.  Feels kind of weird.  I returned to the brink of the bluffs early this morning in full sunlight but the super highway was closed.  There was hardly any activity at all.  I spotted a Blue-headed vireo near the tree-tops, actually below me, but it was too far away for a detailed photograph.  Away from the bluffs there was nada.  I figured that yesterday's warblers may have moved a little farther north so I head up to the Rouge, north of Sheppard, and there were a few warblers, mostly Myrtle, Palm and Parula but I was more interested in a Great crested flycatcher.  Also saw FOY Red-eyed vireo, and FOY Kingbird.  Spotted another E. phoebe too, after not having seen one in a couple of weeks.  What a difference a day makes ... 24 little hours!
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Ontario Birds / Re: May 8th -- Bluffs were a bird super highway
« Last post by Dr. John on May 09, 2025, 07:57:31 AM »
Sounds like a great day. That’s more warblers than I sometimes see in the season.
18
Ontario Birds / May 8th -- Bluffs were a bird super highway
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 08, 2025, 05:59:40 PM »
 I started earlier than usual today and there was a north breeze that made it feel much colder than I expected.  It was cloudy once again, but the sun popped through for a half minute now and then before the shuttle bay doors closed and gloom resumed.  A strange day for sure.  At the brink of the bluffs there were LOTS of birds, including thousands of White-throated sparrows.  The edge of the bluffs was a super-highway for migratory warblers, but also other species.
 
 
 I spent too much time inland (away from the bluffs) before I decided to return to what I previously assessed as a good spot.  Sightings include:  FOY Redstart,  FOY Bay-breasted warbler,  Blackburnian warbler,  FOY Blue-winged warbler,  Palm warbler,  Myrtle warbler,  Canada warbler, FOY Magnolia warbler,  Rose-breasted grosbeak,  Great crested flycatcher,  Baltimore oriole,  B&W warbler,  Ruby-crowned kinglets,  Common yellowthroat,  Red-bellied woodpecker,  Scarlet tanager,  Lincoln sparrow,  Nashville warbler,  Cooper’s hawk, Black-throated Blue warbler, and  Rough-winged swallow.  I’m sure that I missed something.



Lincoln sparrow




American redstart




Black-throated blue warbler




Blackburnian warbler







Rose-breasted Grosbeak




Nashville warbler




American Redstart




Common yellowthroat




Canada warbler






Red-bellied woodpecker




Great-crested flycatcher








Blue-winged warbler






Blackburnian warbler




Scarlet tanager




American Redstart




Rouge-winged swallow




Cape May warbler
 
 
19
Toronto Reports / On the Right Track
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 07, 2025, 02:11:09 PM »
 I was walking on the wrong side of the tracks this morning looking for trouble when I suddenly heard it.  It was loud and a fair distance up ahead, although it didn’t take long to run into a belligerent bird.  I sized it up to be a real turkey and kind of on the wild side, but I had to admit that on this occasion I think that it was on the right track.  Also saw a FOY Blue-headed vireo way up in the tree top.  That discovery came only moments after flushing a N. Waterthrush.


 
 
20
Ontario Birds / Re: May 6th - wave of warblers after the rain
« Last post by Shortsighted on May 07, 2025, 11:27:52 AM »
You have a very interesting backyard.  I saw my FOY many days ago and then they disappeared again.  I almost missed the one in the photo because I'm so used to seeing White-throated sparrows everywhere that it has become my default position.  Even though their respective posture is so different the eyes become jaded and unresponsive after a while.  I heard what I assume is a Field sparrow this morning while walking through a hydro field.  It didn't seem that far away but I still couldn't locate it.  It's sort of a nemesis bird for me.  Far fewer warblers this morning and they disappeared early.  It was also cloudy again.  By the time I hit the hydro field it was quite sunny and feeling hot.  I think I might need to start wearing a wide-brimmed Tilly hat on sunny days instead of my camo cap.  The question is ... will I find it?
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