Langstaff Park

Langstaff Park

Vaughan, ON

30 October 2013

    I was a little early for an appointment close to Langstaff Park today and took the opportunity to do a little birding. 

    The prize bird of the visit was this Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos.

Although not as rare in this area as it was twenty years ago, it is still not common and each sighting is special. I actually had neglected to take the camera with me when I first set out on my walk and the bird was perched for several minutes in a small tree. I would have had a great photographic opportunity had I taken my equipment. I returned to the car to get the camera and waited for a while in the hope that the bird would return to the same tree. It did, but only for a few seconds before moving on. The result is one less than satisfactory picture.

    A little better is a stunning male American kestrel Falco sparverius; this bird was a little more co-operative.

    And how could I resist one more shot of a magnificent maple tree clad in splendid fall regalia?