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Toronto Wildlife

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It’s not the seventh day of Christmas and there are more than seven swans a swimming in the photo, but, well, here they are. These swans are Trumpeters, which are a species native to North America, unlike the orange billed Mute Swan. There are more Trumpeters this year than in past seasons. An aside: I think the pile of branches and brush in the background is a beaver lodge.

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We had a lunchtime visitor in our yard yesterday. I think it's a cooper's hawk, though maybe it's a sharp-shinned hawk.

Also have a bunch of photos I need to go through, though they didn't turn out great due to the low lighting and trying to photograph through wet windows.
 
Are mockingbirds common around the city? Maybe I just haven't noticed them before seeing this one a few times recently. In reading about them, they have a reputation for being noisy and aggressive, though this one has been silent and timid so far.
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Edit: Apparently their range has been expanding north in recent decades, much like the House Finch, which is very common here now but I never saw as a kid.
 
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SubHuman said:
Are mockingbirds common around the city? Maybe I just haven't noticed them before seeing this one a few times recently. In reading about them, they have a reputation for being noisy and aggressive, though this one has been silent and timid so far.
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Very common along the West Toronto Railpath. At least that's where I've seen/heard them the most. Usually hanging out on the light / utility poles or sculptures. I've never seen them get aggressive though.
 
Not Toronto but I thought this was cute. Our daughter and son-in-law have apparently been adopted by a Ruffed Grouse. It hangs around their house and follows them around the property. They have to be careful when backing out of the garage since it doesn't seem to understand phyics.

They dubbed her Greta, but it could have been Garry, but with Spring, it is confirmed as males have been around courting. She doesn't seem too interested.
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Black-crowned Night Herons apparently are known for hiding during the day and emerging at dusk, but I guess the daylight hours are so long in June that this one was still out fishing this morning in the north duck pond in High Park.
Edit: And they also need more food in breeding season. Nest colonies are in Tommy Thompson Park and Toronto Islands.
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