Trying to get in some birding before the rains came, we went looking
for the previously reported harlequins along the shore near Toronto. We
found the (apparently first winter male) HARLEQUIN consorting with a
male bufflehead up the river from the foot/bicycle bridge. They spent
most of their time diving for food (this was around 10:30am today).
There was also a pair of LONGTAILS feeding in the area behind the
breakwater to the East of the river, and a HORNED GREBE moving up the
river.
At Humber Bay West, there were a few REDHEAD DUCKS, lots of GOLDENEYE
and LONGTAILS at scope distance, many BUFFLEHEADS, all three
MERGANSERS (including two pairs of HOODED), one pair of AMERICAN
WIDGEONS, a few LESSER SCAUP, and a few BLACK DUCKS.
Further on at Machree park, most of the birds were out in the high
waves, and actively feeding, which made spottiing difficult. Mixed in
with the many GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, R.B. MERGANSERS, we did finally
spot the pair of HARLEQUIN (this was around 12:30, and they were to the
SW fairly far out). As by this time the rain was coming down pretty
hard, we called it a morning.
Directions (from Frank Pinilla's posting):
Ben Machree Park - exit QEW at Hurontario Street, go south to Lakeshore
Rd,
turn right and cross over the Credit River, on your left will be Maple
Avenue,
follow to the end and walk down to the lake, look left/east.
Humber River Footbridge - easiest access is taking Lakeshore Blvd
eastbound,
east of Park Lawn Rd and the Humber River, park in the first parking
lot along
the lakeshore, after the river, and walk west to the large white
footbridge.
(Humber Bay West park is just off Park Lawn Rd).
Professor Gene Denzel
Information Technology Program
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
York University 416-736-5250
