Despite the ice and the wind, walking around Humber Bay and Colonel Sam Smith Park was quite productive on Sunday afternoon Jan 5th. Wintering birds close to shore included BLACK DUCK, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, GOLDENEYE, GADWALL, LONG-TAILED DUCK; COMMON, RED-BREASTED and HOODED MERGANSER (1), WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (3) plus good numbers of REDHEADS, RUDDY DUCKS, MUTE and TRUMPETER (2) SWANS, several COOTS, and a WIDGEON. A single PIED-BILLED GREBE was bobbing around among the ice. A subadult BALD EAGLE flew over the Bay, and a single NORTHERN SHRIKE and a KESTREL were seen at Col Sam, along with MOURNING DOVES and a few ROBINS. No sign of a Snowy Owl or unusual gulls but we did get within a few feet of a large healthy COYOTE hunting in the snow. That SNOWY OWL was still at Yorkdale Mall on the evening of the 3rd.
