Photo Friday: Hot Birds

It's hot in Toronto. Really hot. Also humid. When you go outside, it feels like the air gives you a really close hug. Some of us love us, others complain. To them I say just wait until January. You'll be missing this. It's still really stinkin' hot, though.

 The wildlife is also affected. Yesterday when I took my break down at Sugar Beach, I knew it was super hot when I noticed that I wasn't the only one seeking shade

In an attempt to locate a bit of a breeze, I meandered closer to the water's edge. Did you know that birds pant? Yup. Saw it a few weeks ago and looked it up. Birds pant as a way of regulating temperature in hot weather.

Like this

 

Off in the distance, I saw a cormorant doing something weird. Had to photograph it, but it didn't work that well.

 
Weird, right?

Then I followed around a panting seagull for a while. 


Which not only had it's beak open, but was actively panting, it's tongue moving up and down. 

Fascinating.

During this time - a good 20 minutes or more - the cormorant had floated closer to the shore. Which means I got to see the weirdness up close.

 
I have no idea what that's about.



Comments

Joyce said…
If the bird was a person, I'd say he was trying to get a breeze under his arms to cool off. As a kid, I would stand in front of whatever fan was on with my arms up to get a breeze under there...
11:34 AM
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