Number 589, September 2012 REGULARS FEATURES TFN
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F Number 589, September 2012 Great blue heron perched on a dead tree at the Ox Bow Pond, East Don Parkland, July 2012. Photo by Barry Singh REGULARS FEATURES Coming Events 18 TFN Outreach Activities Report 11 Extracts from Outings Reports 8 For Reading 10 TFN Members in the News 12 From the Archives 16 In the News 17 ExplorinG the Hidden ParK 13 Keeping in Touch 19 Monthly Meetings Notice 3 Mint Family in Toronto (Part I) 14 Monthly Meeting Report 7 President’s Report 6 TFN Grants Awarded 15 TFN Outings 4 Weather – This Time Last Year 17 TFN 589-2 September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist is published by the Toronto Field BOARD OF DIRECTORS Naturalists, a charitable, non-profit organization, the aims of President Bob Kortright which are to stimulate public interest in natural history and Past President Wendy Rothwell to encourage the preservation of our natural heritage. Issued Vice President monthly September to December and February to May. & Outings Margaret McRae Views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those Sec.-Treasurer Walter Weary of the editor or Toronto Field Naturalists. The Newsletter is Communications Alexander Cappell printed on 100% recycled paper. Membership Judy Marshall Monthly Lectures Nancy Dengler ISSN 0820-636X Monthly Lectures Corinne McDonald Monthly Lectures Lavinia Mohr IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER! Outreach Tom Brown We welcome contributions of original writing of observa- Webmaster Lynn Miller tions on nature in and around Toronto (up to 500 words). We also welcome reviews, poems, sketches, paintings and MEMBERSHIP FEES digital photographs. Please include “Newsletter” in the $20 YOUTH (under 26) subject line when sending by email, or on the envelope if $30 SENIOR SINGLE (65+) sent by mail. Please re-name digital photographs with the $40 SINGLE, SENIOR FAMILY (2 adults, 65+) subject and your name (abbreviations ok); scale your photos $50 FAMILY (2 adults – same address, children included) to less than 1 MB each. In the accompanying email include No HST. Tax receipts issued for donations. Send location, date and any interesting story or other information membership fees and address changes to the TFN office. associated with the photograph. Please note: TFN does not give out its membership list. Deadline for submissions for Oct issue: Sept 7. Toronto Field Naturalists NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE 1519-2 Carlton St, Toronto M5B 1J3 Jenny Bull (co-editor), Karin Fawthrop, Nancy Fredenburg, Tel: 416-593-2656 Elisabeth Gladstone, Mary Lieberman, Judy Marshall, Ruth Web: www.torontofieldnaturalists.org Munson, Toshi Oikawa, Wendy Rothwell (co-editor). Email: [email protected] Printing and mailing: Perkins Mailing Services SECRETARY-TREASURER AND BOOKKEEPER NEEDED Our Secretary-Treasurer, Walter Weary, will be stepping down after the AGM in October, as he is moving out of town. The TFN is seeking a volunteer with accounting expertise to assume this important role. Responsibilities include ensuring accurate accounting of TFN’s finances in QuickBooks, presenting financial reports to the Board at monthly meetings, executing the Board’s investment decisions and doing annual government filings required of charitable organizations. Our Bookkeeper, Alexandra Johnstone, is stepping down due to extensive other commitments. The TFN is seeking a volunteer with bookkeeping expertise to help us in this important role. Responsibilities include entering transactions in QuickBooks, making bank deposits and issuing donation receipts. If you can assist the TFN in either of these roles, please contact [email protected] or 416-593-2656. September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-3 TFN MEETING Sunday, September 9, 2012 2:30 pm Two Billion Trees and Counting John Bacher, author of Two Billion Trees and Counting: The Legacy of Edmund Zavitz will speak about how Zavitz rescued Ontario from threats of desertification, flooding and a plague of forest fires. VISITORS WELCOME! SOCIAL: 2:00 – 2:30 pm Room 001, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto, 75 Queen’s Park Cres E Emmanuel College is just south of the Museum subway station exit on the east side of Queen’s Park. Enter via the second door south on Queen’s Park, which is wheelchair accessible. There is an elevator inside to the right. Room 001 is one floor below street level. For information: call 416-593-2656 up to noon on the Friday preceding the lecture. Upcoming Lectures Ontario Nature Oct 14 : 3rd Annual Youth Summit for Biodiversity & Environmental James Bay Birds and Natural History Justice Jean Iron, Field orn ithologist and digiscoper Sept. 28-30, 2012 YMCA Geneva Park, Orillia Nov 4: Ontario Reptiles and Amphibians For young people in grades 9-12 James Paterson, Ontario Reptile and from across Ontario Amphibian Atlas Coordinator, Ontario Nature For more information or to register, contact Sarah Hedges, [email protected] or 416-444-8419 x 241. Dec 2: Ontario’s Wild Bees Or visit www.ontarionature.org/youthsummit Laurence Packer, Melittologist and Professor, York University Note: Toronto Field Naturalists has made a grant towards this event. TFN 589-4 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012 TFN OUTINGS • TFN events are conducted by unpaid volunteers. • The club assumes no responsibility for injuries sustained by anyone participating in our activities. • Children and visitors are welcome at all TFN events. Children must be accompanied by an adult. • If you plan to bring children in a stroller, be aware that there may be steps or other unsuitable terrain. • Please do not bring pets. • To get to outings on time, check TTC routes and schedules (www.ttc.ca or 416-393-4636). • Outings go rain or shine: check the weather by calling 416-661-0123 so you will know what to wear. • Wear appropriate footwear for walking on trails which may be muddy, steep or uneven. Sat WARD’S ISLAND - Nature arts Sept 1 Leader: Joe Bernaske 10:00 am Meet at the ferry docks for the 10:15 ferry. Bring what you need for painting, photography or writing, and anything you want to share with the group during lunch. Bring lunch. Sun WEST END BIKE RIDE Sept 2 Leader: Roger Powley 10:00 am Meet at Davisville subway station. Ride will end at Dundas West subway station. Bring lunch and drinks. Thurs SOUTH HUMBER – Birds Sept 6 Leader: Doug Paton 10:00 am Meet at the Old Mill subway station. Morning only. End near the lakeshore. Bring binoculars. Sat COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK – Wildflowers and birds Sept 8 Leader: Wendy Rothwell 10:30 am Meet at the southwest corner of Lake Shore Blvd W and Kipling Ave. Bring lunch and binoculars. Sun LECTURE – Two Billion Trees and Counting Sept 9 Speaker: John Bacher 2:30 pm Emmanuel College, 75 Queen’s Park Cres E. See page 3. Tues BELT LINE WEST TO PROSPECT CEMETERY– Nature Walk Sept 11 Leader: Roger Powley 10:00 am Meet at Davisville subway station. Bring lunch and binoculars for a walk west along the Belt Line ending at St. Clair Ave W and Lansdowne Ave. Sat LESLIE STREET SPIT – Lichens Sept 15 Leader: Matthew Brady 10:00 am Meet at the entrance at Leslie St and Unwin Ave. An introduction to lichen identification, the ecology of lichens and processes in the environment, and the use of lichens as air quality indicators. Bring a hand lens if you have one and lunch if you would like to stay longer. Sun FAREWELL TO DUFFERIN CREEK – Lost Rivers Sept 16 Leader: Richard Anderson 2:00 pm Meet outside the York University Student Centre at the bus stop for the 196 TTC bus from Downsview subway station. Keele and Finch is a mess at the moment and parking on campus is expensive. Dufferin Creek is the westernmost tributary to the Don in this part of Toronto, and used to flow across the York University campus. The surface watercourse is gone, but a string of ponds, wetlands and woodlots remain. Subway construction, and the University’s development plans will destroy the creek wetlands on the southeastern parts of the campus. There will be a chance to visit Carolinian woodlots and ponds, and what is probably the last chance to see the elm-ash successional field on the campus. A joint outing with the Toronto Green Community. September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-5 Tues ETIENNE BRULÉ PARK – Birds and butterflies Sept 18 Leader: Carol Sellers 10:00 pm Meet at the Old Mill subway station for a circular walk through Etienne Brulé Park to James Gardens and back. Bring lunch and binoculars. Sat TODMORDEN MILLS WILDFLOWER PRESERVE – Nature walk Sept 22 Leader: Paula Davies 10:00 am Meet at the Preserve entrance at Todmorden Mills Heritage Site, 67 Pottery Rd. Sun ROUGE PARK – WOODLAND TRAIL – Nature Walk Sept 23 Leaders: Vicki Bondy, Terry Whittam and friend 2:00 pm Meet at Pearse House, 1749 Meadowvale Rd at Zoo Rd (follow signs for Rouge Valley Conservation Centre). From Don Mills subway station, bus #85B. We will car pool from Pearse House to Woodland trail (in Rouge Park) for a circular walk. Bring binoculars. Wed WILKET CREEK PARK – Fungi Sept 26 Leader: Pat Burchell, Past President of Mycological Society of Toronto 10:00 am Meet at the southwest corner of the parking lot for Edwards Gardens, located at the corner of Leslie St and Lawrence Ave E. Bring a basket and knife to collect specimens. Two hour loop; easy walking. Sat EAST DON RIVER SOUTH – Nature walk Sept 29 Leader: Charles Chaffey 10:00 am Meet at the northeast corner of Coxwell Ave and O’Connor Dr for a 3-hour circular walk. Sun EAST DON PARKLANDS – Nature walk Sept 30 Leader: Stephen Kamnitzer 1:30 pm Meet at the southwest corner of Leslie St and Sheppard Ave E. We will walk up to Steeles Ave including Bestview Park.