APR 2023 - Rouge National Urban Park, sighting of the month - Great Egret
Spring is now well under way in the Rouge National Urban Park. As the temperatures slowly rise so do the number of bird species seen in the park. This month 76 species of birds were observed and documented in the park on Inaturalist compared to only 54 last month.
This month’s sighting is of an early returning Great Egret by @pinemartyn . Our second largest of the Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets and Bitterns) family in Ontario. Only the Great Blue Heron being larger. Dressed in white with an S shaped neck the Egret appears a stately regal figure. During breeding season its facial skin has turned from yellow to a brilliant green. It has also grown in its long wispy trailing feathers that are spread out during courtship displays.
Click on photo to see full observation details including when and where in the park this Egret was seen.
Great Egret Ardea alba , photo credit @pinemartyn
Bird with the heartiest appetite this month is of a Turkey Vulture spotted by @galloots13 . This ravenous scavenger was seen dining on a meal of what looks like raccoon.
Click on photo to see full observation details including when and where in the park this Vulture was seen.
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura , photo credit @galloots13
To many avid birders Spring means WARBLERS! And on schedule @firebreathingcookie was the first Inaturalist user to observe a returning Warbler to the Park on April 17, 2023.
Black, grey and white with yellow patches on its cap, sides and rump. This Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler can almost blend into the yellow flowers of the Forsythia shrub it has alighted upon.
Click on photo to see full observation details including when and where in the park this warbler was seen.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata , photo credit @firebreathingcookie
Please check back for next months sighting!
