RobinHood

I agree with Redheads in the second photo.

Appears to have all the correct markings for a dark morph (although not sure why the upper tail looks pale in one photo and dark in the last). Just a bump to get an expert opinion.

Amount of white on the upper wing and the underwing pattern (dark rear and pale front) suggests Graylag to me.

Greater for me - rounded head (with no hint of a rear corner or vertical slope), large wide bill and the large white face patch (perhaps not definitive but I find it more on Greater).

Thanks Greenesnake, much appreciated. I was pretty sure about Bird 1 although it has not been accepted by the reviewer yet, they may just be behind.

I hear them far more often than I see them.

Thanks everyone. I checked and there are surprisingly few abieticola reports for my local counties but I'm fairly sure they are not uncommon, someone in another thread mentioned 1 in 5 for NE USA and I suspect that is conservative for southern Ontario. I think Bird 2 is also one, the "dribbling" is there but not so apparent, possibly due to the harsh lighting. However I do see quite a few with the dark throat but no obvious "dribbling", so possibly intergrade sub-species? Thanks @Jerry Friedman for the link here and in the other thread.

They were about two minutes apart, both heading south, and I was pretty sure the first bird hadn't circled back. I noticed the more distinct streaking or "dribbling" between the head and belly band on the first bird.

Southern Ontario October 11, 2021. While everyone is thinking about this topic I thought I would join in. I think there are two birds, photo 1 and then the second two photos. Thanks.

ID tips - the wide white V on the back and, not visible for your bird, the dark patagials. The experts may have additional suggestions.

Here in southern Ontario the summer weather carried on until this past weekend so a lot of birds have been hanging back. Our local celebrity was a juvenile Green Heron that was quite people friendly and also stayed well past its usual departure time, but it headed south a couple of days ago.

Thanks - that's what I thought (female, I believe). It's a late bird so will be reviewed and thought I would just make sure.

Southern Ontario this morning. Thanks.

Stuck to the rules for "best photo of a species" thread but foiled Kevin and sneaked another one in. 🙂

A young male preening and an unimpressed female.