Canadian Intro

I've had a really enjoyable, leisurely stroll along the Toronto waterfront today, having arrived late last night following a smooth flight. The place is packed full of a nice selection of birds literally within a stone's throw from downtown (the city centre in plain English speak). Highlight for me was the masses - literally 1000s - of Long-tailed Ducks close in all along the harbour wall. I've probably seen more of these beauties today in the crisp winter sun, than I have in my life before.

The ringos were pretty confiding too, and it was possible to stroke a couple of the first-winters that evidently hadn't become accustomed to the human race yet. Lovely stuff, and even though these boys are as common as you like on this side of the pond there's still something about any Nearctic gull, wherever they are, that makes me transfixed. Look at the intricacies and variability of the 1st-winters in these shots.

And given that this trip is one of those 'non-birding' ones, we did the tourist thing and shot up the CN Tower late afternoon.