High Park May 6

[Leslie Kinrys]

We decided to visit the park, and it seemed, so did the rest of Toronto. Lucky we went early, because so many cars kept circling as all the parking spots were taken. A lot of people went home with parking tickets. But, the flowering trees were stunning against the blue sky.

We saw a total of 42 species.  Birds of note:
 - Double-crested Cormorants
 - 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons
 - 1 Red-tailed Hawk chased by irate Red-winged Blackbirds
 - 1 Lesser Scaup
 - 3 Buffleheads
 - 4 Ruddy Ducks
 - 1 Caspian Tern fishing
 - Yellow-rumped, 1 male Black and White, and Palm warblers
 - 1 male Baltimore Oriole
 - Chimney Swifts
 - 1 Blue-headed Vireo
 - 1 very noisy male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
 - a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches in a nestbox
 - 1 Hermit Thrush
 - and, my favourite, 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird!  

Also, frogs singing and turtles out sunning themselves.

[Walter Sobchak]

I was there yesterday too.  I didn't see any of those.  Well I saw the frogs and turtles...

The only things of note were White-crowned, song, and chipping sparrows, a Winter Wren, and shockingly tame Wood Ducks.

[Leslie Kinrys]

Hi Walter,

We were at the park for 5 hours, which helps with the numbers. I was looking at the marshy end of Grenadier Pond, and exploring the wooded paths above there. We also went to the staircase, which leads up to the Children's Garden and Colborne Lodge.

[Walter Sobchak]

That explains it...I was everywhere but those places in the back, and I was there for 2.5 hours.  It was my first time to High Park, too many dogs and car IMO.  I'll have to check out the area near the pond next time.