While birding the west Toronto shoreline with Garth Riley this afternoon, I
came across an interesting duck at the Mimico waterfront in Toronto. It was in
the interior marina of Humber Bay West associating with a dozen or so Greater
Scaup.
I got Garth onto the bird and we studied it from both the north side of the
marina at Superior Park and the south side (accessed by walking through the
leash-free dog-run area at the western tip of Humber Bay West). I got some
marginal iPhone-scoped shots of the bird and Garth got several photos with his
camera.
The hybrid duck had a tuft near the its crown, white flanks and was much
darker-backed (albeit not quite completely black) than the nearby Greater Scaup.
Photos of the bird were sent to Bruce Mactavish, Alvan Buckley and Kevin
McLaughlin, who very kindly provided their opinions and thoughts. Their
consensus ID is that the bird appears closest fit a Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid.
The bird was still present in mid-afternoon. For anyone interested, photos will
be posted to eBird shortly.
Superior Park is located at the Mimico waterfront, south of the intersection of
Superior Ave. and Lakeshore Blvd. West in Toronto. Humber Bay West is located
along Humber Bay Park Road West, which runs south from Lakeshore Blvd. West ,
just west of Parklawn Road.
David Pryor
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