Difference between Trumpeter and Mute Swans...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Trumpeter Swan

Mute Swan

I was having breakfast on Monday of this week, with a number of fellow residents at Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora and happened to mention that I'd seen eight Trumpeter Swans the day before, in the Holland Marsh in King Township.  One of the ladies at the table asked how to tell the difference between Trumpeter Swans and Mute Swans.   I replied that both swans were all white and very big (60" long), but the Trumpeter Swan had a completely black bill while the Mute Swan had an orange bill with a black knob at the base (see photos above).   Also, the Trumpeter Swan's call is a single or double 'honk', while the Mute Swan, like its name, is silent.  The differences between the two are most evident in the males of each species, which also makes females and juveniles more readily identifiable when accompanied by males.

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Barry the birder 

Galapagos Islands

Photos by Dave Kemp

Kicker Rock ~ Galapagos

Wildlife naturalist and birder Dave Kemp of Vancouver Island has passed along these photos from the Galapagos Islands.   Shown below is a Blue-footed Booby and a newly hatched chick. 

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 comment

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BarrytheBirder

Dufferin Street, King City...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Goose & Gull

   

 

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BarrytheBirder
 

Dave Kemp photos from Vancouver Island...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Northern Flicker

(Colaptes auratus cafer)

Red-shafted

The Red-shafted Northern Flicker is native to most of North America, (especially in the west) parts of Central America, Cuba and the Cayman Islands and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate.

Bald Eagle

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

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BarrytheBirder

Dave Kemp photos from Vancouver Island...

Dave Kemp photos

Male & Female Hooded Mergansers

(above and below)

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BarrytheBirder

Big Birds over Vancouver Island by Dave Kemp...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Bald Eagle ~ morning stretch

Wondrous wingspan

Canada Geese over Comox Glacier

Strathcona Provincial Park

(6,430 ft. / 1,960 metres)

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BarrytheBirder

Goldfinch and Redpoll

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Dining out with friends 

is always tastier

when the conversation is better than the food.

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BarrytheBirder

Varied Thrush

Photo by BarrytheBirder

When the power of love

overcomes the love of power

the world will know peace.

                                                                             - Jimi Hendrix

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BarrytheBirder

Baltimore Oriole

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Love thy neighbour,

and if it requires that you bend the truth, 

the truth will understand.

 

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BarrytheBirder

White-breasted Nuthatch

Photo by BarrytheBirder

In a world full of people who couldn't care less,

be someone who cares more.

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BarrytheBirder

Northern Harrier

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud

- Maya Angelou

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BarrytheBirder

Mourning Dove

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

We have two ears and one mouth

so that we can listen

twice as much as we can speak.

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BarrytheBirder

Eastern Kingbird

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Real generosity is doing something nice

for someone who will never find out.

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BarrytheBirder

Killdeer

Photo by BarrytheBirder

By swallowing words unsaid,

no one has ever harmed his stomach.

                                                                  - Winston Churchill

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BarrytheBirder

 

Dark-eyed Junco

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

You can't do a kindness too soon

for you never know how soon it will be too late.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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  BarrytheBirder

Ring-billed Gull

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Be tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged 

and tolerant of the weak,

 because someday in your life 

you will be all of these.

- George Washington Carver

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Barry Wallace

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

If we should deal out justice only in this world,

who would escape?

No. it's better to be generous, 

for it gains us gratitude.

                                                                            - Mark Twain

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Barry Wallace

Green Heron

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

When I was young, I admired clever people.

Now that I am old, I admire kind people.

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BarrytheBirder

Grackle

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

The most important trip you may take in life

is meeting people halfway.

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BarrytheBirder

American Goldfinch

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Don't wait for people to be friendly.

Show them how.

- Henry James

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BarrytheBirder

Goldfinch & Redpoll

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Dining out with friends is always tastier

when the conversation is better than the food.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Canada Goose

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Grown-ups know that little things matter

and that relationships are based on respect.

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BarrytheBirder

 

House Finch

Photo by Barry Wallace

There is one word that may serve

as a rule for all one's life: reciprocity

                                                          - Confucius

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BarrytheBirder

Mallard Duck

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Never miss an opportunity to make others happy,

even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it.

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BarrytheBirder

American Crow

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Don't be yourself.

Be someone nicer.

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BarrytheBirder

Great Blue Heron

Photo by BarrytheBirder

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody.

It saves so much trouble.

                                                 - Rudyard Kipling

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BarrytheBirder

Cowbird

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.

It may be the only sunshine

she or he sees all day.

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BarrytheBirder

Double-crested Cormorant

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

It's nice to be important

but it's more important to be nice.

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BarrytheBirder

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by BarrytheBirder

A good character is the best tombstone.

Those who loved you will remember.

Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

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Barry Wallace

Rufous Hummingbird by Dave Kemp

 

Photos by Dave Kemp

Thank you to Dave Kemp from Vancouver Island for these Rufous Hummingbird photos.   Birder Kenn Kaufman in his 2000 book Birds of North America says the Rufous 'hummer' is the most widespread hummer, reaching south from Alaska in summer, passing down through British Columbia and wintering in southern Mexico.   Of all the western hummers, this is the one that strays most often to the east, where numbers live along the Gulf Coast every winter.

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BarrytheBirder

Rufous Hummingbird by Dave Kemp

 

Rufous Hummingbird

Photos by Dave Kemp

Thank you to Dave Kemp from Vancouver Island for these Rufous Hummingbird photos.   Birder Ken Kaufman in his 2000 book Birds of North America says the Rufous is the most widespread western hummer, reaching southeast Alaska in summer, passing down through British Columbia, and wintering in southern Mexico.   Of all the western hummers, this is the one that strays most often to the east; small numbers live along the Gulf Coast every winter.

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BarrytheBirder  

Black-capped Chickadee

Photo by Barry Wallace

Never look down on anyone

unless you are helping them up.

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BarrytheBirder

Northern Cardinal

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

Treat everyone with politeness,

even those who are rude to you, 

not because they are nice 

but because you are.

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BarrytheBirder