Just Birding, Not Chasing

Not very long ago, on a walk in James Gardens, in Etobicoke, or Colonel Samuel Smith Park, down by the lake, I would have just seen birds.  Sure I knew there were ducks and song birds, geese and gulls.  But that's about it.  Today was different.  I walked for an hour or so in James Gardens and another hour down in Colonel Sam, and actually saw the birds.  No rarities or new birds for my list.  But today, that wasn't the point.  I just wanted to go Birding.

I ended up with a nice little day list and really enjoyed the walk, on what was a very calm day before tomorrow's "reported" snow storm.   12 birds, one or more of each, in James gardens:

Cardinal, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, American Crow, Mallard, House Sparrow, Hairy Woodpecker and Canada Goose.

In Colonel Sam, I saw an additional 7 birds:

Ring-billed Gull, Gadwall, Redhead, Mute Swan, including a juvenile, Red-breasted Merganser, American Coot and Long-tailed Duck.

Maybe tomorrow there will be something new to chase.  Only a few days until I am back down in the sunny south.