Birds at Desjardins Canal:

The Desjardins Canal was opened in 1837 to give Dundas, Ontario easier access to Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes system. Although a technological achievement, the canal was eclipsed by the railway and road bridges that restricted boat access by the 1870's.  

https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/plaques/desjardins-canal

Even when surrounding bodies of water are frozen, the Desjardins Canal is often free of ice and can be a good location to find overwintering birds. These Mallards are used to being fed. As we parked and got out of the car, we were quickly surrounded. They eventually wandered away when no food was provided.

After a quick scan with the binoculars, Deryl noticed a lone Snow Goose hanging out with a group of Canada Geese. The Snow Goose is a white-bodied goose with black wingtips that are barely visible on the ground but are noticeable in flight. The pink bill has a dark line along it, often called a "grinning patch" or "black lips".

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snow_Goose/id

Mute Swans have enormous appetites. A Maryland study found they ate up to 8 pounds a day of submerged aquatic vegetation, removing food and habitat for other species faster than the grasses could recover. Mute Swans can weigh up to 31 pounds.  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mute_Swan/overview 

The large back end of the upside down Swan, in comparison to the nearby Canada Goose, shows its immense size!

17 Hooded Mergansers swam in the channel. They find their prey underwater by sight. They can actually change the refractive properties of their eyes to improve their underwater vision! They also have an extra eyelid, called a "nictitating membrane" which is transparent and helps protect the eye during swimming, much like a pair of goggles.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory#food

Although most Turkey Vultures migrate south during winter, a pair could be seen soaring overhead, looking for a carcass to munch on!

A male Wood Duck showed off his beautiful feathers while we watched. Wood Ducks pair up in January and most birds arriving at the breeding grounds in the spring are already paired. (We didn't see a female so this fellow may still be looking!) The Wood Duck is the only North American duck that regularly produces 2 broods in one year.  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Duck/overview