A great day for ducks! [12 species]. 5 degrees Celsius. Waterfowl appear to move between the Desjardin canal and open water in Cootes Paradise. West canal: Trumpeter Swan- 2 [inc. yellow tag #442] Gadwell-2 [1 pair] Green Winged Teal- 1 female at the west end Common Merganser -at least 6 Hooded Merganser -2 [1 pair] Redhead- 2, Horned Grebe-1- a stiking and very active bird Common Goldeneye- 1 Hundreds of Canada geese, Mallards, Mallard hybrids, and Black Ducks.
The canal runs adjacent to Cootes Drive, just east of Dundas, just west of McMaster University. Desjardin Canal east of Olympia Drive: Bufflehead- 1 male Common Goldeneye- 1 Horned Grebe- 1 [these 3 unrelated birds were diving as a "unit"] Belted Kingfisher: 1 [apparent year round resident]- very vocal! Wet end of Cootes Paradise [directly east from the canal] there is a small bit of open water with several hundred ducks, scope needed unless one dares to walk out on the ice from the end of "the willows" Wood Duck- 1 male Gadwall- 1 pair Northern Shoveller- at least 2 Northern Pintail- at least 2- very striking. Hundreds of Canada geese, Mallards, Mallard hybrids, and Black Ducks. Peregrine circling overhead- sorry, no bands seen. Princess Point in Cootes Paradise was a bust except for Snow Geese. We have some pretty good digital images. If anyone is interested, please indicate by email. West end of Burlington Bay also frozen and sterile. Wayne & Fran Bullock, Ancaster [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Bullock Family" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
