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From: edm@verdix.com (Ed Matthews)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: City Park Birding -- Toronto, Ontario
Keywords: Blue-Winged Warbler, Toronto
Message-ID: <1991May24.105919.16672@verdix.com>
Date: 24 May 91 10:59:19 GMT
Organization: Verdix Corp.
Lines: 31

I'm always amazed at the birds that you can find in city parks.  I was
just in Toronto (Don Mills actually) for a business meeting and had a
couple hours to wander through ET Seton park before the meeting.  I'm
sure I could have found a lot more birds had I known where to look, but
a walk down one of the paths yielded Black and White Warbler, Blackpoll
Warbler, Canada Warbler (naturally :), Blue-Winged Warbler, Red-Eyed
Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Black-Crowned Night Heron,
and a possible Western Kingbird.  The possible Western was too far away
to see its tail, but had a bright yellow belly, which could be attributed
to the early morning sun. I was surprised when the Black-Crowned Night
Heron flew right over my head, beak full of nesting material. It is
not uncommon for these Herons to nest in cities, we have a large population
nesting along the creek that runs through the National Zoo here in
Washington DC. 

These, among the other city park birds, are a good reason to keep a pair of 
binoculars in your briefcase.

Checking the range maps in my various field guides, I would say that
Southern Ontario is the extreme northern edge of the Blue-Winged
Warbler's range, so this looks like a good bird for that area.  I saw
a pair and they did look like they were setting up shop for the summer.

The mosquitos there were ferocious -- and huge -- enough to keep me
away from the thickets near edge of the Don River (what we call a 
creek around here).  Saw plenty of Blue Jays, too. :)
-- 

Ed Matthews                                                edm@verdix.com
Verdix Corporation Headquarters                            (703) 378-7600
Chantilly, Virginia