Birds on the Thames River Between Storybook Gardens and Greenway Park
If you already know and love seeing “feeder birds”, you may enjoy seeing some less common birds on the water. Fortunately, the Thames River attracts a few additional bird species each winter. These birds share the river with our year-round bird birds.
London is far from their breeding territories and most members of these species fly further south for the winter. There is enough food for the few who stay in London all winter. Larger numbers stay on the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
While geese and ducks eat vegetation on the shore and in shallow water, these “winter birds” dive for food. It is frustrating to lose sight of a bird just as you are trying to point it out to someone or take a photo. Be patient! They will reappear after a few seconds, perhaps some distance away.
These and other “funny ducks” can be seen almost any time along the Thames Valley Parkway between Storybook Gardens and Greenway Park. Stop occasionally to look for birds on the water that are not Mallards or Canada Geese. Look for the clean whites on the males. The riverside path is maintained in winter and there is free parking at both ends of this route.
Common Mergansers
- Males have green heads, dark wings and clean white bodies.
- Similar in size ( 54-71 cm) to a Mallard, the largest species in this article.
- The females may be confused with female Red-breasted Mergansers. Look for a sharp boundary between the brown and white on their necks.
Common Goldeneyes
- Males have greenish-black heads with a white oval between the bill and the eyes.
- They are noticeably smaller (40-51 cm) than Mallards.
- Their eyes really are golden!
- The head shape is different from similar birds that may appear.
Hooded Mergansers
- The males have magnificent black crests with a large white centres.
- The crests of the males are flattened after each dive and can become unmanageable in high winds.
- The females have shorter crests and are less conspicuous.
- Males and females are about the same size (40-49 cm).
Buffleheads
- The males have greenish-black faces and white on the bak of their heads while the females have a white patch on their cheeks.
- Similar in size (32-40 cm) to a Rock Pigeon, it is the smallest species in this article.
- They may remind you of bathtub ducks.
What Are They Eating
A merganser’s long bill is suited to catching small fish. The sturdy bills of the other two species are suited to crushing shells and exoskeletons. Like most animals, they will eat anything that is easy to catch and fits in their throats.
Sometimes their eyes are bigger than their stomachs. You may see a bird catch something too big for them to swallow.
Tips
With a pair of binoculars, you can see these birds more clearly in the middle of the river or near the far shore. They are wild and not likely to swim near people.
With a modest telephoto lens, you can take photos that you can study at home to improve your identification skills. Study your photos for birds that do not look the same as the others. Then head to Lake Erie for even more species.
Keep you eyes on the skies for Bald Eagles.
All About Birds is an excellent free online guide. It has great photos and lots of information about each species.
Credits
This article and all photos are by Glenn Berry. Some of the photos were taken in Toronto’s parks.