| A beautiful day for a walk in the park. |
Wednesday October 30, 2013. Swan Lake Village area, Markham, Ontario |
|
| It is now Oct 30th and the Swan's left our lake for their winter home on Monday Morning. I haven't sent out an email in a few weeks so this one is crammed with many shots taken in October. |
| Reesor's Pond - Near Swan Lake Village - Oct 1 |
| Ring-Billed Gull |
| We dropped by Reesor's pond to see if the snow geese were still there. No luck but got a few nice shots including these ones of a Ring-billed Gull in flight. |
| White Egret |
| The spits of land that go out into the pond were packed with birds migrating through the area including this white egret. |
| Flower |
| Even in the fall the wild flowers are beautiful to see while out walking. |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 1 |
| Mallard Duck |
| This duck was enjoying the bright sun and an a shower. |
| Mute Swan |
| Enjoying the sun Romeo watches the geese instead of chasing them. |
| Swan Lake Village - Oct 8th |
| Flowers |
| Going past our neigbours garden we saw some flowers still blossoming. |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 8th |
| Double Crested Cormorant & Geese |
| The western end of the small island near the pier. Lots of Canada Geese and two Double Crested Cormorants |
| Common Merganser |
| Pictures taken from the Pier. Two of the four Female Common Mergansers that have been staying on the lake for most of October. These are diving ducks that hunt for fish in Swan Lake during the spring and fall migration. |
| Chipmunk |
| While walking around the park we stopped at the lookout on the hill and saw this Chipmunk watching us. |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 9th |
| Canada Geese |
| Just a nice shot of the Canada Geese flying along the south shore. |
| Great Blue Heron - Juvenile |
| There has been a juvenile Great Blue Heron flying around our lake for most of October also. This shot was taken from the path below the Swan club. |
| Another shot farther along the path. This Heron likes to fly a short distance along the shore and then stop to check out the different fishing spots along the way. |
| Reesor's Pond - Oct 12th |
| White Egret |
| This beautiful bird was flying from one part of the pond to another and I was lucky and got a couple of shots of it. We see the White Egret on Swan Lake from time to time but it is more cautious then the Great Blue Heron and prefers the greater isolation of Reesor's pond. |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 13th |
| Double Crested Cormorant |
| Shot from the Pier looking towards the small island nearby. Two of these cormorants have been fishing in Swan Lake for the last few months. |
| Mute Swan |
| Romeo out enjoying the sunshine. |
| Double Crested Cormorant |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 15th |
| Downy Woodpecker |
| I saw this adult Male Downy Woodpecker beside the path at the far north west end. First time I've gotten a good picture of it. |
| Great Blue Heron |
| I couldn't believe it as I looked down from on top of the hill to the path at the north west end of the park beside the small marshy area. People were walking by this Heron which was only about 4 feet from the path and no one noticed it was there. |
| Blue Jay |
| This Blue Jay was playing hide and seek with me up on top of the hill beside the path. Beautfiful bird to watch but the best I could do for a picture was of it peeking at me from behind a tree trunk. |
| Swan Lake Village - Oct 15th |
| Fall |
| On the way back home I noticed many of our neighbours had put displays up on their porches. |
| Swan Lake Park - Oct 28th |
| Great Blue Heron |
| The Juvenile Great Blue Heron was travelling around the lake. We first saw him today on the Island by the pier and later I was able to get this shot from the pier of the heron on the shore near the Swan Feeder. |
| Common Merganser |
| When taking the picture of the Heron I almost missed these Female Common Mergansers swimming past him near the feeder. |