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 (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 – 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 , 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.

City of Toronto Natural Environment Trail Strategy

To all trail users,

The City of Toronto manages a trail network of nearly 400 km of paved and granular multi-use trails. In addition to these trails, there is an extensive network of informal natural-surface (dirt) trails and pathways within natural area parkland and ravines. These trails are well-used by hikers, dog-walkers, and mountain bikers, and are highly valued as an important part of the recreational trail network.

The City will be developing a Natural Environment Trail Strategy that will identify the opportunities, constraints, planning, policies and management strategies required to ensure the protection of the City's natural areas while offering safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities for all natural environment trail users.

We want to hear from you! We will be hosting the following information and planning sessions:

• Tues Sept 18 at 6:30pm: Don and Highland Creek Watersheds The Papermill Theatre and Gallery, Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Rd (www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/todmorden.htm)

• Wed Sept 19 at 6:30pm: and Mimico Creeks and the Watersheds Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave (www.swanseatownhall.ca)

For more information and to register, visit www.toronto.ca/nets or email [email protected]. Please take the time to fill out our survey!

Natural Environment Trails Program www.toronto.ca/trails TFN 589-6 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

So much has happened since I wrote my last report Midwest US – the mid-April migration was in early April for the summer newsletter. We have estimated to be ten times the size of the previous participated in numerous outreach events to inform largest one – and the migration 2 weeks later was the public of our existence and our mission (see page even larger. The annual Toronto butterfly counts 11). Many of these events also allow for fruitful and (July 1 and 14) showed above average diversity, as enjoyable discussions with other TFN volunteers and some southern butterflies such as snout, buckeye, with representatives of other organizations. and variegated fritillary were seen in greater numbers here than ever before. In April, our grants committee carefully considered applications received, and recommended grants for 7 The very early spring was also dry – rainfall was far of them, which were paid in July. For details see below average from the end of January until late page 15. I enjoyed my first visit to the Rouge Valley July, with the level of Lake Ontario declining almost Conservation Centre in April, and was impressed a foot, while a normal year would see a rise of 15 with what they have done with a previous grant, and inches over that period as snowmelt fills the lakes. with their enthusiasm and commitment. The RVCC However, neotropical migrant birds, those that was a key part of the Rouge bioblitz in June. In May winter in the tropics but raise families here, were on a number of us visited the Kortright centre and the same schedule this year as previous years, attended a ceremony with a class of appreciative according to research led by Dr Bridget Stutchbury students with their teachers from Courcelette public of York University. I expect their breeding school, whose trip was enabled by one of our grants productivity this year will be much diminished as the for last year. During the visit we were able to speak insect population they rely on to feed their young with the head of Toronto Region Conservation and peaked long before the young hatched. staff involved in nature education. Speaking of climate change, prominent climate The Portlands Acceleration Initiative will unveil its change skeptic Prof R Muller, of University of current plan, which was generally endorsed by the California, Berkeley, wrote in the New York Times Stakeholder Advisory Committee, at a public recently: “Three years ago I identified problems in meeting and on its website, August 8. I expect this previous climate studies that, in my mind, threw plan will be presented to the City’s executive doubt on the very existence of global warming. Last committee in September and council in October. year, following an intensive research effort Phase 1 includes a green channel of low land on the involving a dozen scientists, I concluded that global west side of the Don Roadway to the ship channel warming was real and that the prior estimates of the which would accommodate a major flood, and a rate of warming were correct. I'm now going a step green extension of this south of the ship channel to further: Humans are almost entirely the cause.” I complete a green connection to Lake Ontario Park. hope that this, combined with the terrible heat and For details, see Portlandsconsultation.ca. drought afflicting most of North America this year, will finally lead climate change deniers to give up, Spring migration has come and gone, most young but I am not hopeful, and continue to predict an birds have fledged, many plants and insects have appalling future for future generations, as the United gone through their life cycle for the year, and fall States (and Canada) continues to fail to exercise the migration is underway. The most amazing aspect of necessary leadership to create world agreement on a the spring migration this year was that the 22 real solution. Despite my pessimism, I was happy to butterfly species that were first reported in Ontario participate in a climate action event organized by between March 14 and Apr 25 all appeared at record volunteers with 350.org in May – maybe more early dates, an average of more than 2 weeks earlier people will be persuaded to support serious than the previous record. And both mid-April and commitments on the part of the governments of the the end of April were marked by record migrations US and Canada, before it is too late. of red admiral butterflies into Ontario from the Bob Kortright September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-7

MONTHLY MEETING REPORT

The Urban Coyote Sunday, May 6. Lesley Sampson, Co-Founder, Coyote Watch Canada

Coyote Watch Canada (CWC), founded by Lesley communication technique, used in defense, distress, as a Sampson and James Brown, is a non-profit organization warning, in celebration and in locating pack members. based in Niagara Falls and dedicated to providing A pack usually consists of 2-3 adults with their pups. education and research about the eastern coyote. CWC The male is involved with the pups and will bring food advocates positive human and wildlife experiences back to the den. Juveniles disperse in the fall although through wildlife protection, conflict resolution, field the beta male may stay to help raise the pups. These observations, data collection and community outreach. animals are built to move and they do so in a straight line to conserve energy, using ancient corridors many of Lesley’s enthusiasm for these ‘song dogs’ of North which are now populated by humans. They are very America presented a counterpoint to the fear of coyotes aware of their surroundings and adapt quickly. that is common to many of us. She contrasted the cultural mythology surrounding these wild animals. Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores who eat carrion, Native people hold wildlife in high regard. They know fruit, eggs, insects, road kill and food left out by that coyotes make diligent parents. Their fur and bones humans. They clean up carrion such as dead deer on are revered. It was clear that Lesley would like us all to railroad tracks. They have been known to follow turkey move closer to this appreciation and away from popular vultures. The coyote helps balance the ecosystem by culture that regards the coyote as a predator; think of keeping rodent populations in check. the “Big Bad Wolf” or “Wily Coyote”. However, More and more communities come into conflict with habitat pressure is affecting humans and wildlife alike coyotes because of feeding, dogs off leash, outdoor cats, and bringing us in closer contact with one another. lack of education, a non-existent investigation process, Conflicts and fear result. insufficient signage and lack of community support and Some facts about coyotes: They are part of the canid awareness. Farmers who do not properly dispose of family, ranging in weight from 22-41 pounds. The alpha dead stock draw coyotes to these good food sources. pair mates for life; this bond ensures pack cohesiveness Coyote Watch Canada aims to have us live peacefully and survival. The family unit varies in size; families are with these wild animals. CWC collects and highly social. The coyote is fossorial in nature, digging disseminates factual information, investigates conflicts dens and living underground. Vocalization is their key between animal and human, records sightings and behaviour changes, rescues and releases, and teaches us how to haze coyotes, discouraging them from closer proximity to humans.

Please do not feed the wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally. If a coyote approaches you, do not turn and run. Stop, shout in an angry voice with your arms high in the air. Get as big as you can and make yourself the alpha animal. Cans with coins, nails or pebbles can make a distracting noise. This aversion conditioning teaches the animals to avoid humans. It will not work if food is present.

For more information, check out the website at www.coyotewatchcanada.com. Their 24-hour hotline is 905-931-2610. Corinne McDonald

Blonde coyote. Photo by Jim Brown. TFN 589-8 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

EXTRACTS FROM OUTINGS LEADERS REPORTS

To celebrate Jane's Jacob's birthday and the stopping of the Spadina Expressway, May 4. Leaders: Pleasance Crawford and Helen Juhola. With slight variations, we've followed the same route on the same day for six years in a row, yet no two years have been alike. This time, from start to finish, we saw evidence of our mild winter and early but often cool spring. Flowers remained on forsythias even as common lilacs reached full bloom. Petals on yellow magnolia were browned by frosts in April, yet some nearby saucer and star magnolias – possibly in more protected spots – seemed unaffected. We saw chimney swifts high over Park Hill Rd and talked to passers-by who’d just seen Baltimore orioles in the cattails of the ravine. A highlight was the moon: large, low, nearly full, and always ahead of us. As we crossed Ben Nobleman Park, we noticed the oldest trees in the newly planted community orchard, which will be removed if the south entrance to the Eglinton LRT is built here. The community favours an alternate site in the police parking lot across Everden Rd.

G. Ross Lord Park, May 15. Leader: Carol Sellers. Leslie St Spit, May 19. Leader: Bob Kortright. This Three turkey vultures put on a good show. One was joint outing with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club started sitting on a spit near the reservoir. Later the three were with an unwieldy 45 people, some of whom had little being chased by crows. We had great views when they experience as naturalists, so we started with basics like perched in a tree. This was short-lived: a red-tailed poison ivy, common trees, red-winged blackbirds, hawk flew right at them and scattered them. cormorants, and monarch butterflies, and the common flowering plants, particularly invasives. We also discussed the history of the spit and management by the TRCA. The highlights were a pair of peregrine falcons harassing birds over the outer harbour, and a little yellow butterfly, uncommon in Toronto and almost a month earlier than the previous earliest record. Other butterflies seen: half dozen or more of common sulphur, monarch, and cabbage white, one each of question mark, and orange sulphur.

Cedarvale Ravine, May 29, 2012. Leader: Alexander Cappell. We went in and out of the ravine to see various features including where Ernest Hemingway lived for a few years, and the valley from above (the trees looked so green and healthy). We saw a spectacular display of cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli).

Mourning cloak at Ellis Avenue (left) and buckeye in Humber Valley (above). Photos by June West. September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-9

Nature Arts, Sunningside Parks, June 2. Leader: Branch, colonized by many early successional plant Nancy Anderson. The highlight of the day was the species. Milliken Forest is more isolated and less wonderful single line formation of hundreds of diverse, but still an important local natural area. A cormorants flying above the water on the horizon. possible environmental abuse was observed in the Hydro corridor. While many bird species are fledging, , June 3. Leader: Bohdan Kowalyk. the grass in the corridor had been mowed, and there An interesting grouping of species at risk near the road were fewer grassland species than one might hope. on the western edge: chestnut and Kentucky coffee- Perhaps delaying mowing until mid-July would spare tree, likely planted, though butternut may be natural. the nests of sparrows, meadowlarks, bobolinks, etc., should they colonize these urban meadows. We saw Jim Baillie Nature Reserve, June 9. Leader: Charles groundhogs in the Hydro corridor and many tiger Chaffey. The installation of boardwalks and swallowtails. Both forests feature mature sugar maple, maintenance of trails in the previous fall and winter beech and red oak and white pine. In Brimley Woods, made it possible to go around nearly all the active trails we saw blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), conveniently, with only a few recently fallen trees to get baneberry (Actaea), wild leek (Allium tricoccum), Jack by. In the morning we went to the shelter and headed in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), early meadow rue south on the white trapezoid trail, detouring by the farm (Thalictrum dioicum), trillium, and starry false road south of the Reserve to get around the part blocked solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum). by fallen trees, returning northwards on the white trapezoid trail, all the way around the blue rectangle Leslie Street Spit: Cell 1 wetland restoration, June trail and red arrow trail back to the shelter for lunch. In 23. Leader: Karen McDonald. We walked to Cell the afternoon we went to Uxbridge Brook along the One and the Cell One loop and got great views from the yellow triangle trail and the red diamond trail, made our top of the new Environmental Shelter that will be a way along the brook northeast to the road and took the classroom for school groups and others learning about road back to end the walk. We saw hairy woodpecker, the Spit. We hoped to see carp trying to access the chickadee; in fruit: goldthread (Coptis trifolia) and star wetland, but none were observed. Maybe that's a good flower (Trientalis borealis), and in flower: yellow thing! We saw 15 species of butterflies! Including: lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum), bunchberry common buckeye, monarch, red admiral, painted lady, (Cornus canadensis), dog-strangling vine (Cynanchum American lady, clouded sulphur, European skipper, rossicum), shinleaf (Pyrola). silver-spotted skipper, cabbage white, eastern tiger swallowtail, summer (or spring) azure, mourning cloak. Guildwood Park, Grow Me Instead And Bob saw a little yellow butterfly! Wow! We also 16 June. Leader: from Ontario Invasive Plant saw various dragonflies and a couple of damselflies. Gisela Bach. We Council (OIPC) and partners. Luckily no red ants! Birds seen were: yellow warbler saw signs of Horticulture is one pathway singing; red-winged blackbirds feeding young; common infested trees with for the introduction and terns foraging and bringing back food; killdeer, spotted emerald ash-borer, spread of invasive plants. sandpiper, ring-billed gulls, double-crested cormorants, discussed invasive This guide will help brown-headed cowbirds, American goldfinches, bank, weeds, dog-strang- gardeners choose beautiful, cliff, tree and barn swallows, all foraging or returning ling vine and garlic non-invasive plants by from foraging; male mallards moulting; Baltimore mustard, and looked identifying common garden oriole in flight. at pamphlets from plants that may invade natural areas and providing a the Ontario Invasive Glendon Ravine, 30 June. Leader: Nancy Dengler. Weeds Council and list of non-invasive alternatives. We walked from Glendon campus to the wet meadow at TRCA’s new Grow the north end of where we saw Balti- Download from www. Me Instead more checkerspot butterflies basking on the trail and ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/ brochures. nectaring on sumach blossoms. The group identified several interesting plants, including clammy ground- Examining urban natural connectivity issues through forest and Hydro corridors in Milliken cherry (Physalis heterophylla), common water-plantain neighbourhood, June 17. Leader: John Wilson. The (Alisma plantago-aquatica), and spotted water hemlock diversity of Brimley Woods is remarkable for a site so (Cicuta maculata). We enjoyed watching adult robins remote from other natural areas. It seems to benefit feeding young on the nest in a white elm that they from the proximity of the Hydro corridor and a linking shared with a talkative white-breasted nuthatch and a channelized stream in the headwaters of Markham red admiral butterfly. TFN 589-10 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

FOR READING

Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie City of Toronto’s 611 pages, $25 - $30 depending on source Biodiversity in the City Series

What a pleasure it is to finally have an updated Peterson Available free at your local library. guide to moths. The previous version was printed in Spiders and fishes are the latest 1984 and has been out of print for several years. It was additions: designed primarily for collectors, with dead pinned specimens and because of costs, many plates are in Spiders of Toronto black and white. All photographs in the new book are in Fishes of Toronto colour and of living moths. Species that have arrived in northeastern North America in the last 25 years are now Butterflies of Toronto included in the guide. If you would like to try identify- Birds of Toronto ing the moths you see, this is the book you must have. Check the Toronto Public Library The book is organized like most recent field guides. website for “Thought Exchange” talks Colour plates are on the right side and descriptions on based on these booklets. the left. The description includes a range map, a short comment about the relevant markings, size range and Upcoming talk: host plant for the larva. Each photograph is very Biodiversity in the City: Spiders precisely marked with the Peterson arrows, usually 2 Tue Oct 30, 1 - 3 pm and sometimes more. Almost 1500 moths are included. Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium The back pages show a silhouette of the resting position Toronto Reference Library of several types of moths to give you some idea of * * * * * which section of the book to start looking in to identify a moth. There is the usual index of common and scientific names, although I have found that not all of David Suzuki Foundation the common names I know are in there. There is also “Connecting with Nature” another index based on taxonomy. It can be quite helpful because it groups similar moths together, like • educational resource guide geometers and grass moths and so on. Unless you're • geared towards Grades 4 to 6 looking up a big showy moth, the hardest part of • designed to get kids outside exploring the identifying moths can be knowing where to start environment and their place within it looking in the field guide. download at www.davidsuzuki.org/what- • I used to give up often with the old book. I decided that you-can-do/connecting-with-nature- either the moth wasn't included or the picture was of education-guide/ poor quality, especially if it was black and white. With the new guide I know the moth is included. The * * * * * photographs are very sharp now that digital reigns. So I go through the book again until I find the moth. I admit Interested in American history as well I don't often look up beige moths unless they have very as trees? strong markings.

Dave and Seabrooke are extremely talented specialists American Canopy: trees, forests, in several areas. And they both live locally, Dave in and the making of a nation Toronto and Seabrooke near Perth. It is wonderful that by Eric Rutkow, they have been given the authority by Peterson Field published by Scribner, 2012, Guides to produce this incredibly fine book. Definitely available at Toronto Public Library worth buying if you are interested in moths.

Carol Sellers September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-11

TFN OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 2012

As Tom Brown took over Outreach this year we have TFN display to Monarch Park Collegiate’s first Ecofair. seen an increase in our activities, which we hope will Bob Kortright and Tom Brown participated in the Bird continue. Festival at Colonel Samuel Smith Park on May 26, and Enbridge head office Environment Health and Safety On Saturday, May 5, Miles Hearn led a nature walk in Community Day on June 6. We will also participate in Scarlett Mills Park and James Gardens for 25 the Butterfly Festival on the spit on August 25. Miles purchasers of the Perspectives Condominium near Hearn will lead a walk in Wigmore Ravine in August Eglinton and Scarlett Road. They saw many birds and for a group from that neighbourhood and I am looking spring wildflowers and it was an enjoyable experience forward to some work with Thorncliffe Park Public for all. TFN subsequently received a sizable donation School in the fall. from the developer and we hope some of the participants may become members. They at least Nancy Dengler led a walk in June for a group of 8 ESL appreciate the natural heritage in their new young adults (mostly from Quebec) through the neighbourhood. Glendon Forest. Margaret McRae led a family walk in E.T. Seton Park for the Thorncliffe Park Women’s We also participated in a program for grades 7 and 8 Committee on July 5. We were asked to provide students of Bessborough Public School as part of their leaders for nature walks at the Brickworks for Toronto geography curriculum. Peter Heinz showed them a Parks, Natural Environment and Community Program, PowerPoint presentation on water and ecological issues and suggested Dave Barr for a pollinators walk. He led in the Don Watershed. The following week Peter Heinz, one on July 22 and will lead one for TFN next July. We Tom Brown and Margaret McRae led the three grade 8 would like to add another Brickworks walk in October classes on a walk though the Wilket Creek and or November if anyone would like to do one. Sunnybrook Parks area where they could see first hand the issues of flooding, erosion, soil compaction, and The Rouge Bioblitz, June 15 and 16: Bob Kortright led experience walking in the diverse habitat of forest with the birders. Members Peter and Frances Money and hemlock, American beech, sugar maple, red oak and Jenny Bull inventoried plants. Claudius Fehr, Carol understory of mayapple, trillium, false Solomon’s seal, Sellers and Jennifer Fang also participated. Jennifer trout lily, bloodroot, Jack-in-the pulpit, as well as the worked on dragonflies and Carol on butterflies. playing fields which are home to birds and butterflies. Many TFN members also participate weekly in The next week Peter Heinz, Nancy Dengler and Miles stewardship programs in parks in their neighbourhoods. Hearn repeated this walk experience with the grade 7 students. We are grateful to Peter Heinz for arranging Margaret McRae this. Read about the Rouge Bioblitz at the ROM blog: Saturday, May 12 we participated in the Bird Festival blog.rom.on.ca/2012/06/life-in-toronto-rouge-bioblitz- on the Leslie Street spit (Tommy Thompson Park). 2012/ Bob Kortright led Saturday morning bird walks at the Spit during migration season, and on April 23 took a

90th Anniversary in 2013

As TFN is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2013, we hope to have some special events. We are working on an event in a theatre with our members providing the entertainment. Richard Partington is taking the lead on this and we will be holding some meetings in the next few months to plan it. If you are interested in participating, please contact Richard Partington at or Margaret McRae at or . We also welcome additional suggestions of events and additional organizers. TFN 589-12 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

TFN MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Many familiar names of TFN outings leaders were in the media, particularly the Toronto Star, over the summer. Many of these articles can still be read on-line. If we’ve missed anyone, please let us know.

Toronto Star: A tale of two white flowers. champion and author Lorraine Johnson, also quoted, May 20 says: “...it’s a lost opportunity.” Writer Margaret Bream accompanied Melanie Milanich to Taylor Creek Park, where they saw garlic Toronto Star: In sea of white trilliums, one is mustard spreading in every direction. But Melanie was pretty in pink. June 2 able to point out a few stems of rose twisted-stalk, Nancy Dengler, emeritus professor at the University of Streptopus lanceolatus, in remnant old-growth beech- Toronto, explained to writer Margaret Bream how and maple-oak forest. “They’ve been here for hundreds of why white trilliums turn pink with age. As tissues age, years,” the Star quotes Melanie. “And when they go, some plants make reddish-purple antioxidant pigments that’s it.” called anthocyanins. The pinkish colour plants develop may be just a side effect, with the real purpose being to help protect tissues as the plants work to recover the nutrients in the petals that they are “throwing away.”

Toronto Star: Race to honour our Longboat a winner. June 22 This article is about Madeleine McDowell’s quest to establish a province-wide run to honour Tom Rose twisted-stalk, drawn by Eva Davis Longboat, “Canada’s greatest distance runner.” The

Toronto Star: A walk on the wild side. June 9 article is intertwined with Madeleine’s conversation Miles Hearn took new condo owners on a nature walk with writer Joe Fiorito on the front porch of Lambton to discover the natural world in James Garden and House about the illustrations Agnes Moodie (daughter Lambton Woods near their new homes. The Star of Susanna) made to go with her aunt Catherine Parr reported that Miles “tuned the group’s attention” to Traill’s text for Canadian Wild Flowers (1868). bird songs and toad calls, and identified spring wild Apparently the first drawing made “for her book was flowers as they trekked the Humber River Trail. See the trillium, from the woods at the other end of the Outreach Report, page 11. [Humber] valley.”

Toronto Star: Blooms off the roads. June 29 Now Magazine: letter to the editor. July 5-11 Richard Aaron “took the Star on a roadside wildflower Peter Iveson wrote about continuing development of tour” and is pictured in a colourful series of photo- the Toronto Island airport resulting in increased noise graphs of roadside wildflowers, most of which are not for people who live nearby. The Toronto Port native, and some are even invasive. “I have admiration Authority now wants to dump shale, excavated from the pedestrian tunnel that is being built, into the bay. for the tenacity of these plants growing in inhospitable habitat,” the Star quotes Richard. “On the other hand, [ed.] Noise and fumes associated with the airport also I’m sort of sad they are so successful they don’t allow affect wildlife at the western end of the Island, a greater diversity to grow here.” The Ministry of including both migrating and breeding birds, and the Transportation considers wildflower plantings along dumping of shale could have a detrimental effect on highways to have been a failure, while native plant aquatic life in the bay.

Resting in the shade Lying among the birch trees Cool summer shadows.

Haiku by Joe Bernaske September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-13

EXPLORING THE HIDDEN PARK

Walk through the Black Oak Savannah in High Park supported wildlife. Deduce what a caterpillar will turn behind the Grenadier Restaurant and look around. You into based on the plant you found it on, the birds by the see trees, flowers and grasses. Looking down you can location and shape of their nests in the tree, the animal see that the soil is sandy and butterflies are flitting by its scat or the butterfly by the plant it is collecting around. Listen and you can hear birds and the wind (you nectar on. can try to tune out the cars and people sounds). Either The dependencies are fascinating. For example, the you like the feeling of being there or you find the yellow-bellied sapsucker (a woodpecker) pecks holes in wildness unfamiliar and “messy”, not like the pretty trees that early-arriving hummingbirds use to extract lush floral displays in other parts of the park like sap. Ants carry aphids to plants so they can create the Colborne Lodge or the Hillside Gardens. sticky syrup that the ants love. Honeybees are not native If you knew that the trees you saw were called black to North America; most of the native bees live in the oak, sumac and sassafras and the flowers were cup- ground, not in hives. Goldfinches eat the seeds from plants, blazing star and harebells, the grasses had names thistles. Snags in dead trees and decaying logs are home like big and little bluestem and Indian grass, would you to many birds and insects. feel differently? Being able to name things gives them I learned all of these things and much more through an importance that is not otherwise perceived. Delving walking tours given by people who had the curiosity to further, being able to distinguish the many species of explore and observe, and took the time to create a goldenrod and the variety of sun- and coneflowers learning experience that was fun as well as informative. would mean that you started looking at the details like Everyone remembers different things from these tours, height, colour, when it bloomed, leaf structure, bark, but the main thing is that it is important to care enough petal distribution and knew how to look up such things to build on what you already know, to care what in field guides so you could continue to learn more on happens to creatures like bees and frogs and how their your own. loss will impact all of us. Once you are comfortable with that you can start the Our sense of “order and aesthetics” can cause same process for birds, butterflies and other insects immeasurable damage as can our view that everything looking at colour, size, sound, beaks and antennae shape should be about us, what we want or like. Nature walks and a myriad of other distinguishing features. are a way of connecting us to the world around us that Putting it all together you can learn about the we normally do not see – the large, small, close and far interrelationships between the plants, soil and all the – and makes us much richer for the experience.

Sharon Lovett, TFN member and co-chair, High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program

Discover more about the natural wonders of High Park by visiting www.highparknature.org. See also High Park Walking Tours in Coming Events, page 18

American goldfinch on cup- plant (Silphium perfoliatum), photo Jenny Bull

Starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) in fruit, photo Sharon Lovett TFN 589-14 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

TORONTO WILDFLOWERS: MINT FAMILY (PART I)

The Lamiaceae (mint family), formerly known as the gardens and have escaped. The wide North American Labiatae, includes nearly 6900 species divided into 233 range of M. arvensis includes most of Ontario and the genera. Eight or nine species representing 8 genera northeastern United States. will be illustrated in three articles – a very small sample of this large family. The TFN’s Vascular Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint) Plants of , 2nd ed. (1994) lists 18 has a weak minty scent. Locally rare, it was only native mint species in Toronto. The status of one listed recorded by the TFN on the , where I species, Stachys palustris (marsh hedgenettle), is saw it once, in late August 1997, in a thicket bordering confusing. This will be discussed in Mint Family (Part a wet meadow. Elongate smooth-margined leaves and III). Several of the species native to Toronto are small white flowers in terminal clusters distinguish it circumboreal. These include Mentha arvensis (this from most other locally occurring mint family article) and Scutelleria galericulata and Clinopodium members. Its rarity locally, omission from The ROM vulgare (both to be discussed in Part II). Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario (which includes

the most common wildflowers) and specific name Mint family members in Ontario all have characteristic (virginianum) suggest that Toronto occurrences may be square stems and opposite pairs of simple and, in most part of its northernmost range. In the US it has been cases, toothed leaves, with successive pairs recorded from Maine to North Dakota and to the south perpendicular to each other. Flowers have a tubular 5- from North Carolina across to Mississippi and to lobed calyx and 2-lipped corolla. Oklahoma.

Mentha arvensis (field mint) is a common species here Physostegia virginiana (false dragonhead, obedient in moist or damp areas. Even before it is seen, its plant), the latter name because flowers pushed to one strong mint scent may make its presence obvious. It side remain in that position, is rare locally but its range blooms in late summer or early fall. It is the only has expanded. Varga (Rare Plants on the Toronto Mentha species native to North America. However, the Islands, 1979, reprinted TFN newsletter, Sept. 2011) introduced European species M. spicata (spearmint) only knew of Toronto Island occurrences. It was and M. piperita (peppermint) are grown locally in Continued on next page.

Left top: Field mint, Mentha arvensis

Left bottom: Virginia mountain-mint, Pycnanthemum virginanum

Right and below: Obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana

Photos: Peter Money September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-15

TFN GRANTS AWARDED

The Grants Committee is pleased to announce that the following grants have been awarded for 2012-13. We will be publishing reports about these programs throughout the year.

Organization Amount Program

High Park Nature Centre $18,000 Youth Naturalists Clubs and Family Nature Walks

Living City Foundation (TRCA) $8,000 Kortright School Field Trip Bus Grants

Ontario Nature $10,000 Guardian Program/2012 Youth Summit

Rouge Valley Foundation $10,000 Environmental Education for All Royal Ontario Museum $9,682 Trees for Toronto

Toronto Botanical Garden $12,500 Living Winter Program Toronto Wildlife Centre $6,000 Turtles at Risk

TFN Newsletter Editor Honoured

Congratulations to Jenny Bull on being awarded Ontario Nature’s Richards Education Award at their AGM in June. This award recognizes individuals who have helped people to understand the natural world and become enthusiastic supporters of conservation and environmental protection.

As a member of Toronto Field Naturalists, Jenny shares her knowledge and love of nature by editing and contributing articles to our newsletter and other publications. She has assisted in setting up the Toronto Island Tree Tour, a self-guided tour featuring over 50 trees identified with plaques which can be followed on a printed or web-based map. She is currently developing web pages about Toronto’s tree species that will link to the Island tree tour and future tree tours in other parks. Jenny has created teaching tools for elementary students, particularly techniques for plant identification. She has led many nature walks for various groups including Pinky Franklin, ON board member, the TFN. presenting award to Jenny Bull Wendy Rothwell

Continued from previous page. western Ontario it has been reported north and west of Lake Superior. It is also reported in Quebec, Manitoba, reported in 1990 on the Leslie Street Spit. The TFN’s and throughout almost all of the eastern and central US Vascular Plants…. in 1994 also reported it at Taylor as far west as New Mexico and Colorado. Creek and East Point. Bob Kortright reported finding it in August 2011 in Woodbine Park. It is not clear When visiting natural Toronto in the fall, enjoy these whether some or all new occurrences may be due to late blooming species. There is so much more to our “restoration” planting. This is a distinctive species local botanic world than the familiar woodland spring with large purple-pink flowers (2 to 3 cm long) in open ephemerals. Please report any occurrence of Virginia terminal spikes. It is a fall/late summer blooming mountain mint and new localities for the obedient plant species of damp to wet meadows and stream and lake to the TFN. margins. Its range in southeastern Ontario extends Peter Money north to the Lake Simcoe-Rideau eco-region. In TFN 589-16 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Reminiscences of High Park before the turn of the (20th) Century from a Mrs. G.H. Fairbrother, TFN newsletter #156, May 1958

Your prediction of High Park denuded of trees brought At the head of Howard Pond was a glorious bed of me up with a jolt, for that was well-known ground to water cress, fed from the cedar-lined fish ponds in the me even before the turn of the century. Being non- Kennedy Estate. At that point on Bloor Street, the sand resident in the City for some years, and driven quickly hill rose sharply, the banks covered with the delicate through High Park last summer, my first reaction was harebell. “too well-manicured,” secondly the excellent facilities At what is now Runnymede, the fields to the south would be covered with wild roses, and later a sweeping stretch of blue lupin.

On the north - a steady stretch of bush, stopped by a farm on the northeast corner; another farm on the southwest. As a matter of fact, with the exception of a few frame cottages close to Dundas Street, there were but four dwellings between that point and the Humber.

During summer we carried baskets and went fruiting - raspberries and blackberries toward the Humber, and many a quart of blueberries was gathered in the northern section of High Park. I could dream on, for I knew almost every foot of that country from Dundas to the Humber …

for a great number of picnickers, but a far cry from my first experience of a picnic van, horse-drawn, and having arrived, a beeline for the row of swings.

All through the park [there] was in early days a dense groundcover, flowers, shrubs, young trees. And what a field-day the present bird-watchers would have had! No shortage of red-headed woodpeckers. Many flowers - or might I say nearly all flowers - have disappeared. Where, for instance, may one find a sassafras bush - the fragrance of crushed leaf or the pungent taste of the stems?

The wrinkled rose, Rosa rugosa, of Asia, naturalized in Toronto, drawn by Diana Banville, and brambles, aka blackberries (Prunus sp), drawn by Eva Davis. Eva said: “The occasional find of these wine-sweet berries takes me back to my Welsh childhood when blackberrying was as much a family expedition as blueberrying is in Ontario.” September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-17

IN THE NEWS

Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan come back by Oct 15 with a strategy to increase access Extracted from a press release (news.ontario.ca/mnr/ to water in Toronto’s parks and recreation facilities.” en/2012/07/ontario-releases-plan-to-combat-invasive- species.html) and the Plan, which can be downloaded Bike park at Sunnyside from this url. From City of Toronto website: www.toronto.ca/parks/ featured-parks/bike-parks/sunnyside.htm In July the provincial government released its Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan. The plan outlines A bike park opening at Sunnyside, south of High Park, Ontario's approach to the prevention, early detection, this fall will address the lack of off-road cycling and rapid response to new invasive species and the venues in the west end of the city. It is hoped that it effective management of existing invasive species like will reduce or eliminate informal parks being created round goby, zebra mussels and the emerald ash borer. in ecologically sensitive areas in the High Park Several ministries will work together under the plan to neighbourhood. This project is a concrete example of ensure threats to the province's biodiversity and its Parks, Forestry and Recreation's work with the off-road economy are dealt with as effectively as possible. cycling community to protect the natural environment Invasive species are the second greatest threat to and trails system. Ontario's biodiversity after habitat loss. Ontario has identified 441 invasive plant species – more than any Effects of deer other province – due to such factors as multiple land The New York Times reported May 18 that “one of the and water entry points, large and mobile population, biggest contributors to the decline in migratory bird global trade and favourable climate. populations has gone largely unnoticed: white-tailed deer...are quietly eating every palatable leaf within The CBC reported: John Urquhart of Ontario Nature reach across the eastern forests of North America. calls the plan “well-thought-out, well-researched, Many bird species hide their nests in dense vegetation scientifically-valid.” He is, however, concerned about on or near the ground...but they can’t do so when recent provincial and federal budget cuts. The cost to hungry deer have demolished the forest understory.” implement the plan wasn’t reported. For the full article see: www nytimes.com/2012/05/19/ (www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/07/04/ opinion/why-bambi-must-go. wdr-ontario-invasive-species-plan.html) Gypsy moth outbreak Drinking water in parks The Toronto Star reported June 25 that the City of The Toronto Sun reported on May 18 that almost 140 Toronto had been unprepared for an outbreak of gypsy of Toronto’s parks and recreation facilities have no moth caterpillars plaguing Etobicoke. A supervisor drinking water. “Councillor Janet Davis pointed out to with Urban Forestry said that “typically, a build up the City’s parks and environment committee that occurs every 7 to 10 years but this year’s mild winter although Toronto now has a bottled water ban in effect probably altered the cycle.” Residents’ property was in its parks and other facilities, nothing is being done to overrun and trees defoliated. The city sprays with Btk improve access to fountains and water taps... in early spring when an outbreak is expected but by Councillors on the parks committee voted to have staff June it is too late.

WEATHER (THIS TIME LAST YEAR)

September 2011 normal (i.e. in the 85-95 mm range) and sunshine marginally below-normal (195.3 hours, normal 204.4). A series of upper-level cut-off lows alternated with spells of sunny, mild weather. It got quite cool just The warmest day was the 3rd, which hit 30.8° after Labour Day (which was warm and humid), and downtown, while the coolest day was the 16th, when it again for a couple of days during the middle of the dropped to 5.7° at Pearson Airport. After the summer, month. Although there were lingering cloudy, rainy the cool spell from the 15th-18th felt quite brisk. It was spells, overall the month came out a bit warmer than rainy from the 19th-23rd, but got sunny and warmer normal. The monthly mean temperature of 17.7° at the final week of the month. Pearson and 18.5° downtown was about 1.5° above the Gavin Miller 30-year average. Rainfall was just slightly above TFN 589-18 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

COMING EVENTS

If you plan to attend any of these events, we recommend that you contact the organizing group beforehand to confirm time and place.

Jim Baillie Memorial Bird Walks – Toronto Ornithological Club Aimed at the intermediate birder, but beginners also welcome. Free to the public; no advance registration required. • Sat Sept 8, 8 am – noon. High Park. Leader: Gavin Platt. Meet in the parking lot inside the Bloor St entrance at High Park Ave. Fall migrants, raptors. • Sat Sept 15, 8 am – all day. Leslie Street Spit. Leader: Bob Kortright. Meet at the foot of Leslie St (south of Lake Shore Blvd E). Fall migrants, raptors, shorebirds. • Sat Sept 22, 8 am – noon. Lambton Woods. Leader: Don Burton. Meet at James Gardens parking lot (access from Edenbridge Dr east of Royal York Rd north of Dundas St W). Fall migrants. • Sun Sept 23, 8 am – afternoon. Durham Waterfront, Pickering-Oshawa, Second Marsh. Leader: Geoff Carpentier. Meet at Pickering GO station (From 401, exit at White’s Rd and go south to Bayly St, then east to GO station. Go a bit east of the main parking lot to the overflow lot to the north on Sandy Beach Rd. Meet in southeast part of the lot. Fall migrants, shorebirds, waterfowl. • Sat Sept 29, 8 am – all day. Toronto Islands. Leader: John Nishikawa. Meet at Toronto Islands Ferry Docks at the foot of Bay St to catch the 8:15 ferry to Hanlan’s Point. (Bring ferry fare.) Late migrants, raptors.

High Park Walking Tours 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, 10:30 am to noon. Meet at the benches across the road south of Grenadier Restaurant. Information: 416-392-0729 ext 4 or [email protected] or www highpark.org • Sept 2. Myths and Legends, Colborne Lodge Staff • Sept 16. Who Goes to the Park? - a poetic visit to sites from the well-known book

Thickson’s Woods Land Trust - Nature Festival Sat Sept 22. Wildlife shows, nature walks, building nature crafts, insect activities, magic shows, nature art and much more. From Hwy 401 in Whitby, take Thickson Rd south of Wentworth St to Waterfront Trail. Info: www.thicksonswoods.com or email [email protected] or call 905-725-2116.

Walk Re-enacting the 1793 First day of Simcoe’s Journey up the Toronto Carrying Place Sat Sept 22, 9:30 am - 2 pm. Leader: Madeleine McDowell. Meet next to Petro Canada station north of the Queensway on South Kingsway. Walk will end at Eglinton Ave W and the Humber River.

Heritage Toronto Walks For information re weekend walks of historical and natural interest, visit www.heritagetoronto.org • Sat Sept 8, 10 am. The Wonders of Warden Woods. Leaders: Andrew McCammon and Nancy Penny, Taylor Massey Project. Meet at the northwest park entrance opposite Warden subway station. Walk will end at the main park entrance near Victoria Park subway station. Info: 416-338-3886.

Rouge Park Weekly Guided Nature Walks Explore Rouge Park’s trails with a Hike Ontario certified volunteer leader. Information: visit www.rougepark.com/hike, e-mail [email protected] or phone 905-713-3184 Monday thru Thursday.

The Market Gallery To Sept 8. South St Lawrence Market, 2nd floor, 95 Front St E. Free. Finding the Fallen: The Battle of York Remembered. Note: gallery closed Sun, Mon, and holidays. Information: www.toronto.ca/culture/the_market_gallery/index htm or 416-392-7604.

Lost Rivers Walks Information: www.lostrivers.ca • Sun Sept 2, 2 pm. Newspaper Community Gardens. Leader: Ian Wheal. Meet at the northwest corner of Queen St W and Brock Ave. This walk will focus on community and victory gardens sponsored by several Toronto newspapers during the First World War, and explore the sites of some lost rivers and ponds in Parkdale, once known as the Flowery Suburb. • Sun Sept 9, 2 pm. Henry Scadding's Don Mount Vegetable Gardens. Leader: Ian Wheal. Meet at the northeast corner of Queen St E and Broadview Ave. Scadding, a Victorian clergyman, diarist and antiquarian who chronicled the City's nineteenth-century history, was also a keen observer of nature.

September 2012 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 589-19

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Once again, my sincere thanks to everyone who makes Two weeks ago while unfolding a garden chair, there TFN run so smoothly! I am very impressed when I read was a pupa firmly attached with residue caterpillar in about the active role TFN is playing in many current evidence. We observed this marvel of nature, watched issues. fascinated by its energetic contortions until it quietened Anne Leon down and looked possibly dead. Lo and behold on Aug 4th we looked in the chair and a lovely female gypsy What a wonderful photo on the back cover of our moth had just emerged...resting. However, a male moth summer newsletter. How Lynn Pady got such a picture soon appeared, introducing himself. Approximately is amazing. This mouse is more than likely a white- three hours later she had gone. Has she gone to fulfill footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus. The deer mouse is the cycle of laying eggs on an oak tree which will hatch very similar but not as arboreal as the white-footed into tiny caterpillars? In the spring these wriggle their mouse and does not appear as brown although the way to the ground on silken threads. The caterpillars colour is variable. The deer mouse has a sharply bi- grow into 2 to 2-1/2 inch colourful critters...and coloured tail which is not obvious in the picture. eventually pupate...not necessarily on garden chairs!!

Calling this animal a field mouse is misleading. The Joan M. Wright common meadow vole Microtus pennsylvaticus is what most people call a field mouse. It looks quite different [ed.] The Golden Guide: from a Peromyscus. Butterflies and Moths says Roger Powley that Gypsy Moth was accidentally introduced from The editors apologize for this mistake. Europe about 1868. It over- winters as eggs; larvae feed Wh te-footed on many deciduous trees mouse n a tree becoming full-grown in July. swa ow nest box at Co one Sam Gypsy moth caterpillars on Sm th Park, whitebeam trunk. Photo: photographed by Lynn Pady. Jenny Bull Or g na y pr nted n the May 2012 ssue. For its annual get-together this year, the editorial committee enjoyed lunch in Karin Fawthrop’s back

yard on a hot sunny day. Karin’s yard teems with birds, Yoshie and I attended the TRCA’s “Snap!” photo tour including this downy woodpecker that had just at Milliken Park in July and got some useful tips from discovered her new hummingbird feeder. Mary the photographer. We spotted koi (red fish) and carp in Lieberman took the photo. the pond and I managed to photograph both but the images are not very clear as the water was rather murky. Jenny Bull and Wendy Rothwell There were lots of birds and we spotted a raccoon asleep in a tree.

While on the trail we heard a loud crash; a large dead tree crashed to the ground. The leaders used this as a lesson for the group that when walking in park lands to stay on the trails as there is a danger of trees falling.

Park staff always cut down dead trees alongside trails but not in the wooded areas.

Barry Singh

Ed.: Note that one of Barry’s photographs is featured on the front cover.

TFN 589-20 Toronto Field Naturalist September 2012

Toronto Field Naturalists Publications Mail 1519 - 2 Carlton St., Registration No. 40049590 Toronto, Ontario M5B 1J3

Fighting tree swallows at Humber Arboretum on April 20, 2012. Photographed by June West.