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.