I needed to go to Home Depot this morning, which means driving to Morningside Avenue in Scarborough, so I figured that I might as well take Old Finch and Staines Road and visit Staines pond on the way. Most of the pond was open water supporting a few water fowl: Mallards, a few female Common merganser, and geese, but across the pond I also spotted a juvenile Black-crowned night heron that was asleep while perched in a tree. Staines pond is not that big but the heron was still far enough away (west side) from my position on the east side that a good shot was not to be had. Besides, a sleeping heron with its head down and bill buried within its breast feathers is a bit of a yawn. I haven't off-loaded the image yet because it's not worth the effort. I used my 300mm with a 1.4x TC attached (420 mm) but the image will need significant cropping when I finally get around to processing it. I think I may try again soon.
I checked ebird and discovered that there was a previous report on Feb. 4th of two BCNH at the pond. I wonder where the other heron was located because I'm sure there was only one bird when I was there today. While I was trying to get closer I spotted a skeleton near the water but I was too frustrated by the impediments to progress near the water's edge to give the skeleton much attention, so I don't know what it was. I don't think that it was anyone I know.
