This morning I arrive at the park at 8:00 am and located Western Grebe
about 300 meters east of the park toward Toronto Islands at 8:50 am.
It was swimming close to a female Red-breasted Merganser and an adult
Herring Gull. After several long dives the Herring Gull went after
both the merganser and grebe and within a couple the minutes the grebe
flushed and flew north. I search for the grebe for another half hour
with no luck. At 9:30 I was joined by Tim McCarthy and we searched
all the waters of the parks east to Humber Bay West park again with no
luck.
The grebe was close enough to determine the standard field marks
except eye color: body size similar to female merganser, on water
black body, black of head and cap; white lower front of neck, throat
and breast with bright yellow bill; long neck; in flight mostly white
under wings and whitish banding at bases of primaries and secondaries
on an otherwise black wing.
Direction: The park is located off the south end Kipling at
Lakeshore. There is a parking lot at the south end of Col. Sam. Smith
Drive.
Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043)
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