Anhingas

[cjywatson]

Morning all,

As a relative newcomer to this country, I was recently tallying my "canada list", when I realised that the Anhinga was not in my field guide.  I saw one in the Humber River, near the 401, around July 2005 - are they not common in Ontario?

[GStuart]

I believe that four anhingas have been seen in Ontario in the past two hundred years.  Is there any chance that it could have been a double-crested cormorant?

[JTF]

The Anhinga is listed on the Ontario official birding list at the ofo site:

http://www.ofo.ca/obrc/chcklst.htm

There was one located at the Delaware Sportsman's Club Pond west of London from 17 - 24 July 2000.  Here is a link of lots of pics of the species to compare with your observation.

http://www.treknature.com/search.php?ph ... &search=Go

[cjywatson]

Definitely wasn't a DCC.  At the time I'd only been in the country about a month, so I only thought "Oh, they have Snakebirds in Canada as well".  Even though I didn't pay all that much attention (at what I though was a common bird), I'm be pretty suprised if it was a mis-identification; I'd see them daily in Perth, Australia (albiet a different species) and they're pretty unmistakable.  It was swimming at the time, and I can't think of too many other waterbirds that are that distinctive in the water.

But of course, I'm only human - but if anyone else has any suggestions as to what it could have been, I'm open....

[Axeman]

Well, the odd lake in Canada is home to creatures like that in Loch Ness....Lake Ontario has Tessie, Lake Okanagan in B.C. has Ogo Pogo...perhaps...?