LaSalle Park and Marina
Burlington, ON
3 December 2013
In addition to the Trumpeter Swans Cygnus buccinator covered in the previous post, LaSalle Park always has a great variety of interesting species to see, with much seasonal variation. Today was no exception.
Red-breasted Mergansers Mergus serrator were quite common, albeit mostly far out on the lake.
Greater Scaup Aytha marila were present in abundance.
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| Male |
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| Two females |
Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis are often in the minority by this time of year, having been largely replaced by American Herring Gulls Larus smithsonianus, but today they were still overwhelmingly the most common larid.
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola is a common winter visitor to Lake Ontario.
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| Male |
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| Males and females |
Black-capped Chickadees Poecile atricapillus are known for their confiding nature, and are the delight of parents with young children as they readily take food from the hand. This individual seemed to like my pencil as a perch.
Numerous American Black Ducks Anas rubripes were interspersed among the Mallards Anas platyrynchos and Canada Geese Branta canadensis.
In previous years this location has been a winter haven for American Coot Fulica americana but today we saw relatively few of them. Perhaps they were just one bay away from us.
A pair of Northern Cardinals Cardinalis cardinalis were feeding on the ground, but before we could get a picture of both the male flew into the bushes.
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| Female |
Canvasback Aytha valisineria is one of the diving ducks that seems to be much scarcer than it was in times past so it was very agreeable to see sixteen of them today.
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| Male |
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| Female |
In addition to large numbers on the ground and on the water, Trumpeter Swans would take to the air from time to time, putting on a masterful display of flight for us, as they moved their heavy bodies through the air.
It's always exciting to see these large birds make their feet forward landing on the water.
Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis (and their black variants) were well distributed along the trail and in the woodland, and seemed to follow every human, looking for a handout.
As daylight began to wane we bade farewell to LaSalle Park, already looking forward to our next visit.
Some very interesting birds there David. Especially so when some of them turn up in the UK. I really like your Ring-billed and Black Duck pictures.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful birds and lovely squirrel.. Cheers..
ReplyDeleteThere are really beautiful birds between David. Especially the cardinal is great but you Canvasback Aythya! And do not forget your squirrel. Me has never succeeded in the picture to get a squirrel.
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