Bat Box

 

Location: Corktown Common

Date photo taken: 19 June 2023

Walking around the eastern side of the hill at Corktown Common this summer, I noticed several of these installations. They're called rocket boxes and they provide roosting habitat for bats. Did you know that eight species of bat call Ontario home? Or that four of those eight are considered endangered? Habitat loss is one aspect contributing to their demise and these boxes help to provide a solution. That said, not a lot is known about the roosting habits of particular bat species, but several organizations are working to change that. The Toronto Zoo and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are two of them, working together to record and monitor bat populations and habits. The square box mounted lower on the pole contains a mesh screen which captures falling guano from the box, which can be analyzed to determine what types of bats are roosting inside. I'm not sure who is responsible for installing these particular boxes but I hope that they are well received by the locals, both bat and human alike.

To learn more about bats, check out this publication by the Toronto Zoo. In addition to general  information, plans for bat boxes, and some myth-busting, it includes some unexpectedly adorable bat portraits.

Pigeon tracks

 

Location: Front Street East

Date photo taken: 28 November 2013

This week, a bit of unpremeditated street art. It may be hard to make out in this photo, but this section of freshly poured sidewalk features the meandering tracks of one or more pigeons. Curious as to how quickly a pigeon would have to arrive on scene to leave its mark like this, I was surprised to be told it would have to be within a few hours at most. Depending on conditions, a full-grown person can walk on concrete poured as little as 24 hours ago and not leave a mark. 

Attention - Coyotes

 

Location: Bloordale Park North

Date photo taken: 25 November 2021

With Stanley Park's coyotes in the news lately, I thought I would share some local coyote information. With all of our parks and ravines, it's not surprising that Toronto is home to coyotes but did you know that the City of Toronto offers an e-learning course called Coyotes in the Urban Landscape? There's also a webpage that sets out lots of tips and information on what to do and not do when you encounter a coyote. My favourite is definitely Be big and loud: Jump up and down, wave your arms, yell “Go away coyote!” It's not just a bit of fun - yelling "Go away coyote" alerts nearby pedestrians and pet owners that there's a coyote in the vicinity. Other take-aways include: do not approach them, never feed them,  and do not turn your back or run away from them.

Trumpeter Swan

 

Location: Humber Valley Pond in Summerlea Park

Date photo taken: 22 May 2015

Last weekend I found myself on the waterfront down by Tommy Thompson Park and I'm pretty sure there was a family of 5 trumpeter swans hanging out in the bay. They were a little too far out to say for sure, but I checked the park's website and the 2019 Bird Nesting Report confirms that there were two active nests located that year. This is pretty exciting because until relatively recently, these swans were extinct in Eastern Canada. Native to Ontario, hunting and habitat loss led to their disappearance in the wild about 200 years ago, but in the 1980s efforts were undertaken to reintroduce them. While their numbers are still dwarfed by the more common mute swan, which is an invasive species, it's nice to see that they are successfully breeding, even in the city.

Beavers

Location: Lower Don Valley

Date photo taken: 2 May 2018

I often walk along the Don Valley Trail, but it's been awhile. On my last walk, my attention was grabbed by the sight of a tree with a big, light-coloured circle where the bark had been stripped away. Then I noticed that the tree beside it looked like this. As I continued my walk, I kept seeing more and more trees chewed or gone, with only the pointy stumps remaining. Surprise, surprise! It seems that beavers are at work along this urban waterway. It was a nice reminder that wildlife - other than squirrels and raccoons - still makes its home here in the city.

Long Tailed Duck

Location: Lake Ontario, off Sherbourne Common

Date photo taken: 21 February 2016

If you find yourself at the shore of Lake Ontario this winter you may see some of these striking black and white ducks. This is a male, identified by the pink spot on his bill and by the long tail feathers for which the ducks are named. Normally they spend their time in the Arctic but they forage for food by diving so when temperatures start to dip and the water to freeze, they move out in search of open water. That takes some of them out to the coasts, but others travel south to winter on the Great Lakes. While their populations are still currently healthy, they were listed as a 'Common Bird in Steep Decline' on the 2014 State of the Birds Report.

Mama Squirrel

Location: Bennington Heights
Date photo taken: 19 September 2013

While it's normal for squirrels to have litters in the spring, in times of bountiful food more mature females can have a second litter in the late summer. Remember the articles about Toronto's super fat squirrels last December? A late arrival to winter meant more time to forage, and the relative lack of really cold weather meant less drain on fat stores over the winter. I have a feeling that might equate to second litters for many squirrel moms this year. For more on Toronto's black squirrels, check out this earlier post.

Happy Mother's Day to all of Toronto's moms.

Red Squirrel

Location: near Scarborough Heights Park
Date photo taken: 9 September 2013

Meet the American red squirrel or Tamiasciurus hudsonicus. While more commonly referred to as simply a red squirrel, the American part is used to distinguish them from their Eurasian cousins, which look quite similar but are actually a different genus. They are part of a group of squirrels known as pine squirrels, and this particular fellow is eating away at a pine cone. They can be harder to spot than Toronto's ubiquitous grey squirrels, but if you want to see one, find yourself a stand of pine trees and wait. You'll often hear them before you see them - they are quite vocal and make a series of buzzing and popping sounds which are amazingly loud given their size.

Bird Banding

Location: Waterfront, near the base of Dan Leckie Way

Date photo taken: 30 April 2015

Toronto, with its waterfront and many naturalized park spaces, provides lots of great habitat for many species of birds. If you're the type to take notice of birds, you've probably also noticed that sometimes they can be seen sporting coloured and numbered bands on their legs, wings, or as in this picture, their necks. The North American Bird Banding Program has banded over 60 million birds since it started back in 1904. Information on banded birds helps scientists learn more about them, including their movement and behaviour. Did you realize that you can help with this work? Ordinary citizens are encouraged to record sightings of birds wearing tags and report them to the program. You'll be asked for information such as the colour and placement of the band, the number on the band, and where and when you saw the bird. In return, you will be sent a Certificate of Appreciation which will provide you with some information about the bird you saw. In this case, the banded goose is a female, about a year old, and it had been banded in the Toronto area just over a week before this picture was taken. Observing and reporting bird bands would make a great summer science project for kids of all ages, and it would help the Canadian Wildlife Service better understand the birds it tags.

Mute Swan

Location: in the water off Harbour Square Park
Date photo taken: 10 May 2014

On a recent walk out to the west end, I was amazed by the number of swans I saw in the Humber River. Swans are not an unusual sight in the city but it seems to me that their numbers are increasing, so I did a little reading. It turns out that their numbers are indeed going up and that the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in partnership with the City of Toronto have been quietly working for years to control the population. Their efforts are only targeting this type of swan, the mute swan. According to an explanatory letter from the TRCA, mute swan populations are being controlled because "mute swans are not native to North America and their population has been steadily increasing over the last decade, as they appear to lack significant natural predators. They cause significant damage to natural habitats; they displace and disrupt native waterfowl and other wildlife species that are less common and more sensitive to disturbance; and they can be very aggressive toward people." That last part is important because swans are powerful creatures. While they may look serene, they can be very dangerous if approached, especially if they are near their nests or young.

Native trumpeter swans, extinct in Ontario until recently, can also be found in Toronto, although in small numbers. They are larger and have straight necks and black bills while mute swans are easily distinguished by their curved necks and orange bills. To read about the effort to reintroduce trumpeter swans to Ontario, and about where to find them in Toronto, check out Margaret Bream's article in the February Toronto Star. To read more about efforts to control mute swan populations, visit the High Park Nature Centre website.

Monarch Caterpillar

Location: Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat
Date photo taken: 23 July 2014

The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat is a waterfront park just west of the Humber River. While it's a joy to walk through, the native species planted here were selected with butterflies and other pollinator species in mind, not humans. One of the most important species in the area is milkweed. It's important because Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and once the caterpillars hatch, they feed on the leaves. Milkweed leaves contain toxic compounds which the caterpillars store up, making them unpalatable to birds and other creatures that might otherwise consider them lunch.

The best time for spotting Monarch butterflies in Toronto is late August, and one of the best places to see them is Tommy Thompson park. The park is hosting a Butterfly Festival on August 23rd, with activities, nature hikes and educational displays. Hopefully, there will be a good turn out, but Monarch populations have been in steep decline in recent years. One cause is a decline in native species, many of which are considered weeds. To help out the struggling butterflies, the David Suzuki Foundation has launched their #gotmilkweed campaign to encourage Torontonians to plant milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants in their gardens and in under-utilized public spaces like medians and hydro corridors.

Black Squirrels

Location: Lawrence Park, Yonge & Lawrence
Date photo taken: 21 November 2009

I love squirrels at this time of year. While entertaining to watch at any time, the bounty of fall and the approaching cold weather combine to transform your everyday squirrel into a pudgy ball of adorable fuzziness. And as squirrels don't hibernate, winter still provides lots of opportunities to watch them.

Ever wonder why so many tourists stop to take pictures of our squirrels? Other than being cute, our black squirrels are a bit of an anomaly. They are actually a small subgroup of the more common eastern grey squirrel and while black individuals can occur in any population of grey squirrels, it is not very common for large percentages of the population to be black.

Fun squirrel fact: they're tricky. Squirrels have been known to pretend to bury their food if they think they are being watched. They dig the hole, make a placing gesture, and then fill the hole back up. Meanwhile, the food is still safely hidden in their mouth.

Groundhog

Location: Milliken Park, Steeles Ave. & McCowan Rd.
Date photo taken: 5 September 2013

When you think of urban wildlife, raccoons and squirrels are usually the first critters to come to mind, but groundhogs (or woodchucks if you prefer) are common urban dwellers as well. This one was strolling along the lawn next to the lake in Milliken Park. I may go back in the spring to try and spot some kits. And here's an interesting fact: apparently, groundhogs can climb trees.

Red Eared Slider

Location: Pond at Riverdale farm

Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

The ponds at Riverdale Farm have all sorts of interesting things to watch, including lots of turtles. The day of this shot, there were four turtles visible, all red eared sliders. This image captures two of them - the second turtle’s head is just visible in the water, to the right of the log. This species isn’t native to Ontario. Normally they’re only found in the southern United States but they’ve become established elsewhere – including Toronto apparently – due to pet releases.

Giant Goldfish

Location: Pond at Riverdale Farm
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

When the ponds at Riverdale Farm were covered with green algae in the summer, I noticed that something underneath was coming to the surface and eating, or breathing, or something. I was intrigued. With cooler weather, the pond cleared, and one day while searching for movement, I saw this guy. I’m guessing it’s a released pet goldfish, grown large in the relative freedom of the pond.