Number 609 February 2015

Painted bunting, photographed by Martin Chen. See page 2

REGULARS FEATURES

Coming Events 19 Fungi: The Killer: Galerina autumnalis 10 Extracts from Outings Reports 8 Toronto Wildflowers: Gaultheria and Pyrolas 11 From the Archives 14 12 Grant Report: Forests ’s Tree Bee 15 Keeping in Touch Program Monthly Meetings Notice 3 16 7 Grant Report: Ecospark’s Changing Currents Monthly Meeting Report Program President’s Report 6 Microplastics in Lake Ontario 17 TFN Outings 4 The People’s Climate March 18 Weather – This Time Last Year 19 TFN 609-2 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

Toronto Field Naturalist is published by the Toronto Field BOARD OF DIRECTORS Naturalists, a charitable, non-profit organization, the aims of which are to stimulate public interest in natural history and President & to encourage the preservation of our natural heritage. Issued Monthly Lectures Nancy Dengler monthly September to December and February to May. Past-President & Outings Margaret McRae Views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those Vice-President, Nature Charles Bruce- of the editor or Toronto Field Naturalists. The Newsletter is Reserves & Outings Thompson printed on 100% recycled paper. Secretary-Treasurer Charles Crawford Communications Alexander Cappell ISSN 0820-636X Newsletter & Membership Vivienne Denton Nature Arts Joanne Doucette IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER! Outreach Stephen Kamnitzer We welcome contributions of original writing of Webmaster Lynn Miller observations on nature in and around Toronto (up to 500 Monthly Lectures & Grants Lavinia Mohr words). We also welcome reports, reviews, poems, Audit & Finance Anne Powell sketches, paintings and digital photographs. Please include “Newsletter” in the subject line when sending by email, or on the envelope if sent by mail. MEMBERSHIP FEES $20 YOUTH (under 26) Please re-name digital photographs with the subject and $30 SENIOR SINGLE (65+) your name (abbreviations ok); scale your photos to less than $40 SINGLE, SENIOR FAMILY (2 adults, 65+) 200kb each. In the accompanying email include location, $50 FAMILY (2 adults – same address, children included) date and any interesting story or other information associated with the photograph. No HST. Tax receipts issued for donations. Send membership

Deadline for submissions for March issue, Feb 3 fees and address changes to the TFN office. Please note: TFN does not give out its membership list. NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Jenny Bull (co-editor), Vivienne Denton, Karin Fawthrop, Toronto Field Naturalists 1519-2 Carlton St, Toronto M5B 1J3 Nancy Fredenburg, Elisabeth Gladstone, Judy Marshall, Toshi Oikawa, Wendy Rothwell (co-editor). Tel: 416-593-2656 Web: www.torontofieldnaturalists.org Printing and mailing: Perkins Services Inc. Email: [email protected]

GET THE JUMP ON SPRING! Saturday, February 21, 10 am to 4 pm Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East

ON THE COVER: Exhibits by more than 20 horticultural societies, Photographer Martin Chen writes: garden clubs and environmental organizations. Here is the painted bunting we saw on December Information: torontobotanicalgarden.ca/jump 25 in Oakville. The painted bunting is in the cardinal family and is a threatened bird. It is usually found in East and Georgia. It If you can volunteer for TFN at this event, has an isolated range in South Florida also. It will migrate to in winter. We average please see page 10. one painted bunting per year in all of Ontario.

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-3

TFN MEETING

Sunday, February 1, 2014

2:30 pm

Mosses, Mooses & Mycorrhizas Terry Carlton, Professor of Forest Ecology, U of T will explain how mosses, moose and fungi are linked to our forest ecosystems.

VISITORS WELCOME!

SOCIAL: 2:00 – 2:30 pm

Room 003, Northrop Frye Hall,

73 Queen's Park Cres East

Immediately southeast of Emmanuel College, south of the Museum subway station exit on the east side of Queen’s Park. Enter on either the west or north side of the building. The west entrance is wheelchair accessible.

For information: call 416-593-2656 up to noon on the Friday preceding the lecture.

Lecture Suggestions Upcoming TFN Lectures Please send your suggestions for speakers for the Mar 1 What the *#&! Is a Bioblitz? 2015-16 TFN monthly lecture series to the TFN office Shawn Blackburn, (contact info, page 2) Programs Coordinator, Toronto Zoo

No Beverage Service Apr 12 Climate Change, Bees & Flowering Plants Because of the high cost, the TFN has stopped James Thomson & Sheila providing coffee and tea before lectures. You are Colla, Conservation welcome to bring your own and to take beverages into Biologists, U of T

the lecture room. May 3 Toronto’s Urban Forests The closest local provider is Ned’s Café at 150 Charles Janet McKay, Executive St (north side). Director, LEAF

TFN 609-4 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

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 NATURE IMAGES SHOW Jan 31 Auditorium of S Walter Stewart Library, 170 Memorial Park Ave at Durant Ave. 1:30 - 4pm TFN members will share their images of the City’s landscapes and biodiversity.

Sun LECTURE – MOSSES, MOOSES AND MYCORRHIZAS Feb 1 Speaker: Terry Carleton, Professor of Forest Ecology, 2:30 pm Room 003, Northrop Frye Hall, 73 Queen’s Park Cres E. See page 3.

Tues – Birds Feb 3 Leader: Doug Paton 9:45 am Meet at the ferry docks at the foot of Bay St in time for the 10:00 am ferry to Wards Island. Bring lunch, binoculars, water and money for ferry.

Sat – Nature Arts Feb 7 Leader: Joanne Doucette 10:00 am Meet at the southeast corner of Parliament St and Mill St. Improve your skills at rendering texture by drawing from the bricks, stone, wooden barrels and other materials in the Distillery. Bring graphite pencils and a sketchpad. + Sat. JIM BAILLIE NATURE RESERVE – Snowshoeing Feb 7 Leader: Margaret McRae 9:00 am We will car-pool to the nature reserve. Please contact leader at or at least 3 days in advance to register for car-pooling. Bring lunch, water and dress warmly. If weather conditions are poor on the 7th, the 14th is an alternative date.

MORE ON ICERS:

Further to last month’s item about icers (ice cleats): phone calls. MEC has several brands, Lee Valley has two, Mark’s Work Warehouse and Canadian There seem to be two basic designs. My icers, which Tire each stock one. And there are probably other work brilliantly, have metal studs to prevent places that I don’t know about. slipping, and I have seen other people with Yaktrax, which use coils rather than studs. They all come in And when the trails are really icy, maybe take a set several sizes. of ski poles on your hike for extra safety. I have done a quick web search and made a few Jane Cluver

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-5

Wed COLONEL DANFORTH PARK – Nature Walk Feb 11 Leader: Miles Hearn 10:00 am Meet at the park entrance southeast of the corner of Highland Creek Dr near Colonel Danforth Trail and Lawson Rd (travelling east on Kingston Rd, immediately after the bridge over Highland Creek). Bring binoculars. Morning only. If we have a few cars we will take walkers to the south end of the park and walk back. Otherwise it will be a circular walk.

Sat UPPER LAVENDER CREEK – Nature Walk Feb 14 Leader: Alexander Cappell 1:30 pm Meet at the southeast corner of Eglinton Ave W and Dufferin St, atop an interfluvial ridge, to follow the valley of mostly buried Upper Lavender Creek through the rolling hills of West Toronto to where the creek surfaces near St Clair Ave W and Keele St, close to a coffee shop.

Sun MID-WINTER WALK IN RIVERDALE: HOWARD/HOLLY/MILL BROOK – Lost Rivers Walk Feb 15 Leaders: John Wilson and Joanne Doucette (author of Pigs, Flowers and Bricks: A History of to 1920) invite 2:00 pm you to share neighbourhood scenes and stories. Meet at Queen St E and Pape Ave. From Leslieville to Playter Estates, we’ll tour the first major lost creek east of the Don. Long buried, this stream with several names once scored the landscape, creating the contours of Withrow Park. And it inflected our narratives of the East End from brick works and needle trades to coffee shops and dog parks. End at Carrot Common near Chester subway station. Joint walk with the Toronto Green Community.

Tues FLORA AND FAUNA IN SCULPTURE AND ARCHITECTURE – Nature in the City Feb 17 Leader: Ed Freeman 1:15 pm Meet at the northwest corner of University Ave and College St for a 2-hour walk ending near the Royal York Hotel.

Sat HUMBER BAY PARK EAST – Birds Feb 21 Leader: Anne Powell 10:00 am Meet at the southwest corner of Park Lawn Rd and Lake Shore Blvd W for a circular walk. Morning only, flat terrain. Please dress warmly and wear footwear and cleats for icy conditions. Bring binoculars.

Wed MORNINGSIDE PARK – Nature Walk Feb 25 Leader: Miles Hearn 10:00 am Meet at the bus stop on the south side of Kingston Rd for Celeste Drive, which runs north from Kingston Rd. Bring binoculars. Morning only. We will finish at a TTC stop on Morningside Ave.

Sat ASHBRIDGES BAY – Birds Feb 28 Leaders: Jim and Petra Grass 10:00 am Meet at the southwest corner of Lake Shore Blvd E and Coxwell Ave. Bring binoculars and dress warmly. Morning only.

FOR ENJOYMENT OF WINTER OUTINGS

Long underwear Warm hat TTC Ride Guide

Layered clothing Mittens over gloves Snack

Waterproof boots Binoculars Thermos for hot drink

Thick socks Camera Sunglasses

Icers to prevent falls (see recommendation on opposite page)

TFN 609-6 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Last Saturday I attended a TFN Nature Arts outing for the develop a provincial Pollinator Health Action Plan. first time. Twenty-four of us squeezed into the TFN office Although concerns were triggered by recent increases in to listen to Joanne Doucette’s presentation on “The Art of over-wintering honey bee colony mortality rates, Anne Bell North American Birds.” Joanne’s fascinating overview of from Ontario Nature raised concerns about the health of European and North American bird illustration and art over native bees and other pollinators. Proposals include 1) five centuries showed the role of technological increasing the amount and diversity of natural habitat developments (printing press, lithography, photoengraving, available to pollinators, 2) promoting Integrated Pest etc.) and influences of contemporaneous “Eastern” art on Management on agricultural lands, 3) working with the “Western” artists. Many examples, whether purely seed industry to promote the use of non-insecticide treated scientific in purpose or intended as art, vividly expressed seed, and 4) promoting farm practices that reduce the the beauty of birds in the natural world. amount of neonicotinoid-contaminated dust during planting of corn and soybean seed. In early December, Margaret McRae and I attended a public meeting on the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport As announced on page 10, the board is asking all TFN (BBTCA) Runway Environmental Assessment. Over 500 members to complete a survey to give us feedback on your others were present at the Metro Toronto Convention participation in TFN activities and preferences for outings, Centre Hall. Discussion focussed on the purpose of the lectures, newsletter and website. In planning for the future, environmental assessment, a review of the areas to be we would also appreciate your suggestions about our role in studied, and the process by which the study will be advocating for the protection of nature, how best to manage completed. The TFN particularly is concerned about the deficit in the TFN annual budget, and addressing impacts of the proposed runway expansion on wildlife changes to the TFN bylaws mandated by new provincial health, specifically birds and marine life, and on the legislation (ONCA, Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations enjoyment of the waterfront by the public, including those Act). Please complete your survey online participating in TFN walks. The TFN has been invited to be (www.torontofieldnaturalists.org) or mail a paper copy to one of 30 members on the Stakeholder Advisory Com- the TFN office before March 1, 2015. mittee which will meet for the first time in mid-January. You can help us test the TFN’s new QR code (a two- A few days later, Charles Bruce-Thompson and I attended dimensional “Quick Response” bar code) on the back cover a public meeting on Pollinator Health and the proposed of the Newsletter. I am a relatively new smart phone user Neonicotinoid regulations organized by the Ontario and downloaded the app “QR droid” (there are many other Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at the free ones) just to test out the TFN’s code. Selecting the app Toronto Reference Library. About 100 people, an and pointing the phone’s camera at the QR code takes you interesting mix of farmers, bee-keepers, naturalists and to the TFN website instantly. We hope to take advantage of public policy specialists, were present to discuss what this direct connection at our promotional events. Using a actions could be taken now to protect pollinators and to QR code on a trial basis was suggested by TFN board member Sandy Cappell, and TFN webmaster Lynn Miller has set it up so that we will be able to track the number of people who use it to visit our website. I’ve just returned from a short walk in Sunnybrook Park where we were mobbed by chickadees and white-breasted nuthatches, apparently accustomed to being fed by humans. Nearby buckthorn bushes held over a dozen robins, probably getting ready to disperse those buckthorn seeds throughout the West Don ravine! We enjoyed watching hyper-active Eastern gray and red squirrels carrying acorns and, as always, felt thankful to have nature right on our Nature Arts presentation of “The Art of North American doorstep here in Toronto. Birds” by Joanne Doucette in the TFN office, January 3, Nancy Dengler 2015. Photo: Bob Kortright

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-7

MONTHLY MEETING REPORT

What is Happening with Monarch Butterflies? Dec 7. Donald Davis, Citizen Scientist

Donald Davis, Citizen Scientist extraordinaire, gave an (Asclepias), so they are vital for adults laying eggs. On excellent illustrated talk on the current situation of North May 9 milkweeds were removed from the schedule of America’s monarch butterflies. Don has been a student of noxious weeds by the Ontario Environmental Registry. You and advocate for monarchs for 47 years and is recognized can now legally (!) grow milkweed and support other not only by Canadian but also US and Mexican specialists milkweed growing initiatives. Contact as a noted authority. As illustrated on Don’s business card, monarchjointventure.org. Margaret McRae can advise on male and female monarchs can be distinguished by the raising monarchs should you be able to find a reliable black spots on the males’ hind wings (at right). milkweed source. Recommended: buy/read Carol Pasternak’s How to Raise Monarch Butterflies, a Step-by- Step Guide for Kids. It’s not necessary to be a kid! Consider supporting monarchbutterflyfund.org which works on habitat preservation/improvement etc. with people living in and near the (Mexican) Reserve. Additional pertinent websites are listed below. Peter Money

 Monarch Butterfly fund - monarchbutterflyfund.org

 Monarch Watch - monarchwatch.org

 Monarch Lab - monarchlab.org

 Journey North - learner.org/jnorth “What is Happening with Monarch Butterflies?” The best  Monarch Joint Venture - monarchjointventure.org available measure, recorded annually from 1994-95, is the  Project MonarchHealth - monarchparasites.uga.edu/ amount of forest occupied by monarchs as they over-winter monarchhealth/index.html in Mexico. This averages 7.80 hectares from 1994-95 to  Toronto Entomologists Association - ontarioinsects.org 2008-09, but was 1.19 hectares in 2012-13 and 0.67  Report sightings - Google group "Ontario Butterflies" and hectares in 2013-14, the two lowest years recorded. www.e-butterfly.org The decline may have multiple causes, including agricultural chemicals that affect monarchs directly or their food or nectar sources, increased planting of corn for ethanol resulting in loss of milkweed, bad weather, and loss of oyamel fir forest winter habitat due to illegal logging. Counts of monarchs going south this fall suggest there may be some improvement [figures are released in March]. There are efforts by US organizations to have monarchs declared an endangered species. In Ontario they are listed as a species of concern. What can TFN members do? The only food plants monarch caterpillars can eat are milkweeds Monarch butterflies over-wintering in Mexico. Courtesy of Monarch Butterfly Fund

TFN 609-8 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

EXTRACTS FROM OUTINGS LEADERS’ REPORTS

winged scoter, long-tailed duck, canvasback, redhead, Fungi, Wilket Creek Park, Oct 9. Leader: Patricia Burchell. Eight species of gilled mushrooms, six lesser scaup, common goldeneye, bufflehead, ring-necked polypores and eight other kinds of fungi were found, about duck, red-breasted merganser, hooded merganser, rough- average for the time of year. legged hawk. Prospect Cemetery, Nov 26. Leader: Pleasance Guild Inn, Oct 11. Leader: Bob Kortright. We noted Crawford. The Cemetery, designed by Joseph Earnshaw musclewood (often called blue beech, but it is not a beech, of Cincinnati, opened in 1890. Unfortunately, all of its or American hornbeam, which is easily confused with hop early buildings have since been demolished and several of -hornbeam) and several interesting fungi in the woods but its original roads obliterated. The cemetery remains, also noted the loss of many ash trees. We followed the nonetheless, worth exploring for its pioneer and heritage trail down to the lake to the point where the shore trees and its monuments to area residents from all walks of armoring ends and the beach begins, enjoying lunch on the life. We saw many noble European beeches (Fagus rocks. sylvatica), and native sycamores (Platanus occidentalis), a Toronto Beltway and Cedarvale Ravine, Nov 6. thorny honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), a Caucasian Leaders: Charles Bruce-Thompson and Roger Powley. wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia), some fine old red and Along the Beltway we saw the tiny Robert Bateman bur oaks (Quercus rubra and Quercus macrocarpa), a Parkette. Bateman spent his childhood beautifully formed European hornbeam in a house a bit further along the trail, (Carpinus betulus), and the bur oak planted since demolished. The vegetation in 1990 to mark the cemetery’s centennial. flanking either side of the trail was almost exclusively invasive, Birds, Ashbridge's Bay, Dec 2. Leader: particularly Norway maple, but white Anne Powell. Cold early December elms and choke cherries were making a weather with gusting winds challenged us in spirited resistance. Half the group our search for winter birds; however, the continued through Cedarvale Ravine ducks appeared to be enjoying themselves. and saw the enormous dog park there The red-breasted mergansers and long-tailed which was heavily populated by all ducks were surfing the ocean-like waves sorts of dogs, as was the rest of the and diving for food in the lake while in the ravine. The juncos and white-throated calmer waters of the harbour two gadwall sparrows seen in abundance the were mating. previous day had completely Humber Bay Park East, Dec. 9. Leader: disappeared. Doug Paton. On a rather gloomy but warm day for December, we walked the perimeter Rosedale Valley to Brick Works, Nov 15. Leader: Kayoko Smith. We of the park. Birds of note were a pair of talked about the extinction of the wigeons, many ruddy ducks and redheads. passenger pigeon and about invasive The ponds and bays were not frozen, which species as we observed plenty of afforded us good sightings of male and Japanese knotweed, dog strangling vine and garlic female hooded mergansers. We decided to mustard. On the way to the Brick Works there was a patch drive to the parking lot near the mouth of the Humber, as a of poison ivy with white berries. To my disappointment, king eider duck had been sighted there. After some effort, we could not find the male deer resting in the bush I had we were able to see it out on the lake, identifying it by its spotted on my pre-walk. strange beak as a first year king eider. This completed a pretty good day of bird watching. Waterfowl, Leslie Street Spit, Nov 22. Leader: Stephen Kamnitzer. There were hundreds of ducks in Cell 3 and Leslie Spit, Dec 13. Leader: Bob Kortright. After being smaller numbers visible in Lake Ontario. Cells 1 and 2 treated to a red-tailed hawk and an accipiter (likely were partly frozen over and there were only a few ducks in Cooper’s) at the start, our walk was mostly uneventful them. Birds observed included: northern harrier, yellow- until we saw hundreds of ducks on both sides of the bridge rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, European starling, beside cell 3 and a pair of ravens flying over as we passed gadwall, American black duck, American wigeon, white- cell 2, where construction to cap the cell has begun. Ducks

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-9 in cell 3 included all 3 kinds of mergansers and a wigeon, among many goldeneye and long-tailed ducks, and some scaup and redhead. During lunch on peninsula C in the cormorant colony, we were surrounded by hairy and downy woodpeckers, chickadees, cardinals, and song, tree, and white-throated sparrows. Our quest for owls was finally rewarded with a snowy owl on a rock pile.

Woodbine Park and Ashbridges Bay, Dec 16. Leader: Joanne Doucette. Due to the wet weather we decided to focus on birds so as to keep moving, and bad weather seems to bring out the ducks. The birds were marvellous, allowing us to get good close views particularly of the northern shovellers and the lone wood duck drake who seemed to be courting a mallard female. We also saw a very large dead salmon in the marina. Sherwood Park, Dec 23. Leader: John Bacher. Walking in this old growth forest was a moving experience. Everybody was delighted by the experience and impressed by how well protected the area is. It is recognized in the book Ontario's Old Growth Forests (by Michael Henry and Peter Quinby). The fencing of paths in the park has succeeded well in assisting the regeneration of young trees, and intensive play areas are well confined to protect the forest. The highlight was viewing a red-tailed hawk perched in a tree. Nine downy woodpeckers were viewed in the forest. Dunlap Observatory Property, Dec 27. Leader: John Bacher. The purpose of this walk was to educate participants about the environmental threat to this large 75- Outing at Upper Newtonbrooke Creek acre block of forest. It had to be a perimeter walk (since Photos by Barry Singh the developer refused to allow us to enter the property) except for Observatory Park (purchased by the City of Richmond Hill last year). We saw a cardinal, chickadees, pale sand topped by dark turf with dangling exposed tree juncos, and four crows. After the walk we learned from a roots. Even more impressive was the massive reshaping of member of Richmond Hill Naturalists that the group had a ravine slope to gentle it down for the Finch Hydro lost an OMB zoning appeal to have more land protected. Corridor bike trail, laid down but as yet unpaved and awaiting a bridge to span the creek. We forded the creek Upper Creek, Dec 30. Leader: Alexander (and a side creek) easily because the water was only 2 Cappell. There were broken branches and fallen trees inches deep and there were lots of stones to walk on. The (from the Dec 2013 ice storm) everywhere in the wooded earth was dry, so we had no trouble going up and down the areas. With the leaves down, the starkness of the steep bare hillsides, which are slippery when wet. ravine slopes was visible; there is a vertical cliff face of

quietening white snow ‖ vanishing city roads urban wilderness

Haiku by James Gladstone

TFN 609-10 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

THE KILLER

Galerina autumnalis: This is one scary mushroom. It is as deadly as the Death Cap and is abundant. It grows on rotting wood in autumn. The gills and spore print are rusty brown. The easiest giveaway to its identity is its stalk. The upper half is white with a dark brown ring of fibers. The orange-brown cap is slimy with a tiny knob.

If you realize that you have consumed a deadly mushroom, get to hospital emergency immediately. If a day has passed since you ate them, you may be too late.

Harvey Medland

MEMBERSHIP SURVEY VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Please complete the TFN Membership Survey FOR TFN OUTREACH EVENTS available from February 1 on the TFN We are looking for volunteers to help at the Toronto website. Field Naturalists’ table at the following events:

The survey can be completed online or by Sat Feb 21: Get the Jump on Spring downloading the document, printing out the Toronto Botanical Gardens 4-page survey, and mailing it into the TFN Sat Mar 7: Park People Summit office. Art Centre

Or, you can pick up a paper copy of the Sat Mar 28: Scarborough Seedy Saturday and survey at the TFN Lecture on February 1 or Green Fair phone the TFN office to have a paper copy Brimley south of Kingston Rd mailed to you. These are all fun events to spend time at. Your

commitment will be 3 to 4 hours, morning or afternoon, Please return completed surveys handing out literature and answering questions. We by March 1, 2015. usually have 2 people covering each shift.

Toronto Field Naturalists If you can help at any of the above, or at other similar #1519, 2 Carlton St not-yet-listed events, please contact me at: Toronto M5B 1J3

www.torontofieldnaturalists.org Stephen Kamnitzer 416-593-2656

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-11

TORONTO WILDFLOWERS: GAULTHERIA AND PYROLAS

The heath family (Ericaceae) includes the genera Valley. I found a new Gaultheria and Pyrola as well as Monotropa (see TFN occurrence in High Park newsletter, Nov 2010) and Vaccinium and Gaylussacia in July 1997. (TFN newsletter, Dec 2014). As previously noted this is a P. elliptica is 10 to 30 cm large cosmopolitan family of 124 genera and about 4050 tall with white flowers, species. about 10 to 12 mm across, The genus Gaultheria includes six North American in an erect terminal species. It is locally represented by G. procumbens, raceme. A conspicuous common name wintergreen according to The ROM Field feature, characteristic of Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario (2004). An alternate many Pyrolas, is a long name is teaberry. Oil of wintergreen is produced from style protruding well species in this genus. Wintergreen is a confusing term, beyond the petals (see applied to members of the genera Pyrola and Moneses as close-up image). This well as to Gaultheria. species is not listed in The ROM Field Guide. Its G. procumbens, according to the TFN’s Vascular Plants of wide range is from Metropolitan Toronto (1994, 2nd ed.) is uncommon in Newfoundland to B.C. Toronto and only found in Lambton Woods. I have only and across the northern seen a few plants there, these in early July, on a small half of the U.S. raised area in the wet thickets that characterize the western part of that area. It seems locally rare. This species has P. asarifolia, also up to 30 cm tall, is distinguished

by its pink flowers, Common shinleaf, locally about 10 to 20 mm Pyrola elliptica across. They occur in an erect terminal raceme. This species occurs throughout Ontario, from Newfoundland to B.C. and Yukon, and across the northeastern and north central U.S. and, in the west, south to the Mexican border. Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens P. asarifolia, not in the TFN checklist, was seen erect branched stems, at most 15 cm tall, with solitary urn- on the Leslie Street spit in shaped flowers, about 6 to 9 mm long, in leaf axils. The late June 1997 and flowers resemble those of many Vaccinium (blueberry) subsequently reported in species (see TFN newsletter, Dec 2014). The ROM Field the Rouge. It appears to be Guide shows it occurring throughout the southern half of rare locally. Ontario. It ranges from Newfoundland to Manitoba and, in Pink pyrola, Pyrola asarifolia the U.S., from the Great Lakes region to the Atlantic coast To see these summer- and as far south as Georgia. blooming species requires venturing into wooded areas at the height of mosquito season. G. procumbens and P. Pyrola includes 30 species. Two currently occur in asarifolia may not be as locally rare as they appear. A Toronto, P. elliptica (common shinleaf) and P. asarifolia reluctance to searching while fighting off mosquitoes (pink pyrola). The former species, reported as uncommon could colour the evidence! Tell the TFN about new in the TFN’s Vascular Plants, was recorded in Lambton occurrences. Woods (Humber River drainage), Wilket Creek (Don), Morningside Park (Highland Creek), and the Rouge Peter Money

TFN 609-12 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Former TFN member Andre Vietinghoff writes from New Brunswick: I am participating in the Fredericton Christmas bird count tomorrow, December 15. It’s above freezing, therefore there should be lots of birds. Last year the bird count coincided with a blizzard – record low count. …………………………………………………………

Two unusual sightings for the Solstice. Purple sandpiper (at right) on December 20 at Tommy Thompson Park and evening grosbeaks, December 21 at High Park. Thank you for doing such a wonderful job with the newsletter. Lynn Pady

…………………………………………….……………………...……

Here’s a boreal owl, taken in Toronto on January 4th. Sorry the photo isn’t better but hope you enjoy a picture of this elusive and not often seen little owl. Happy 2015! Lynn Pady

………………………………………………………………………...…… I’m attaching a picture of a saw-whet owl. This shy little raptor was observed quite by accident in Colonel Sam Smith Park, in late December. We were on our way home after birding when one of the park regulars tapped on our car window and asked if we’d like to see a saw- whet owl. He took us to the spot, and I felt delighted both to see his discovery and to take this picture of my “first” saw-whet. Worth noting: our guide hoped that birders would not “mob” the owl. Best wishes, Carole Giangrande

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-13

Unusual visitors to High Park! Birds and Native Plants During December, bird-watchers and photographers have been It wasn’t until I read an article titled “Grow gathering at the Bird Sanctuary in High Park to see evening Native Plants” [in the Cornell Lab of grosbeaks – an unusual sight in Toronto. This has been exciting Ornithology’s magazine Living Bird] that I for me because I had never seen one before. Today (December realized why native plants should be 31st) was a particularly good day and I was thrilled to get photos. preferred. I did not know that non-native shrubs could be caterpillar-proof and therefore not beneficial for birds, or that caterpillars can’t

eat them because they can’t detoxify the chemical differences! Perhaps you could do a write-up of these – likely most gardeners know that native species are preferable but not the reason why.

Rosemary Sheppard

Ed: This excellent article is available on-line at Cornell’s site allaboutbirds.com. Click on Living

Bird, Read Archived Issues, Spring 2014.

The article quotes Doug Tallamy and refers to What is now called The Bird Sanctuary was started some years his book Bringing Nature Home: How you can ago by a man named Ben who, sadly, died last Spring. His friend sustain wildlife with native plants (book and Bruno is now faithfully bringing food and water, and has lecture reviewed in TFN 563 and 576). significantly expanded the sanctuary. The many types of feeders Tallamy’s website is plantanative.com are attracting house finches, white- and red-breasted nuthatches, See also The Living Landscape: Designing for dark-eyed juncos, downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers, Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden, by goldfinches, chickadees, cardinals, etc., but evening grosbeaks are Doug Tallamy and Rick Darke. Rick Darke is the star attraction at the moment. speaking at Toronto Botanical Garden on It’s a fun place to visit in winter. Opposite the hockey rinks (next Feb 5 (see Coming Events). to the swimming pool), follow a pine tree-lined footpath going For information about gardening with native east and take the second small path to your right. plants in Ontario, look for Lorraine Johnson’s Wendy Rothwell books such as Grow Wild! ……………………………..…………...……………….………………

Kindly find a photo of a downy woodpecker and the hole it produced, taken in High Park two weeks ago. Also, a cardinal photographed in High Park in December. Miriam Garfinkle

TFN 609-14 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES

MONARCH BUTTERFLY MIGRATIONS Letter from Donald A. Davis by Fred A. Urquhart, Professor Emeritus, dated December 5, 1988 Scarborough College, University of Toronto in TFN #401, February 1989 Extracted from TFN #325, September 1979 Thought some of your readers might enjoy an update on “Where do monarch butterflies go in the wintertime?” A recent developments concerning the Monarch Butterfly. lifetime of study has led us to the answer to this question Since Dr. Fred Urquhart’s discovery of some of the asked by so many naturalists over the past hundred years overwintering loci of the eastern North American … population of the Monarch Butterfly in 1975...interest has mushroomed in this phenomenon. Two months after the summer solstice, the monarch butterflies begin their annual migration to the Recent articles include one in the July-August 1988 issue overwintering sites. As the amount of daylight lessens of Animal Kingdom and in the fall 1988 issue of and the ambient temperature begins to drop, in some Landmarks magazine (which also carried an article on my mysterious manner most of the larvae undergo a hormone work at Presqu’ile). There have been some excellent change such that the development of the reproductive science shows on PBS including the World of Survival organs is arrested. episode entitled Search for the Vanishing Monarchs and an episode of NOVA entitled Mystery of the Animal Since the monarch butterflies do not fly at night, they Pathfinders. (Yes, that tagged monarch butterfly in the congregate on suitable roosting trees to spend the night film that had just been found on the forest floor in hours. If you wish to see such congregations, the best Mexico had been tagged by myself the previous place in Toronto is at Cherry Beach Park. For a still September at Presqu’ile!) Even Nature Travel Service of greater spectacle, you may wish to visit Point Pelee Kingston is offering a tour of these overwintering sites. National Park. The best time to witness these mass overnight congregations is mid-September… Some Besides the efforts of the Mexicans to protect these sites travel directly southwestward while others move directly and provide local inhabitants with an alternative income south to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, then follow the to their traditional logging, through tourism, the World coast line to the Mexican site. Still others, blown Wildlife Fund has launched their “Guardian of the eastward, will follow the Florida Peninsula, finally Rainforest Program.” Perhaps Prince Philip’s visit last arriving in Yucatan and the northern parts of South February to the overwintering sites in the mountains of America. Mexico, about 75 miles northwest of Mexico City, contributed to this rainforest being targeted in their Studies of the migrations of the monarch butterfly were 1988/89 program. commenced in 1935 at which time experiments were carried out concerning various methods of marking Maybe we can do our part by being more considerate of migrants so as to follow their migratory routes and finally our environment and reducing the use of herbicides. to locate the overwintering site. After numerous failures, over two hundred thousand miles of field travel and the alar-tagging of over three hundred thousand migrants (with the help of over three thousand volunteer taggers throughout the and ), the overwintering site was finally discovered in December 1975 in the Neovolcanic Plateau of Mexico. This discovery was first announced in the August 1976 issue of National Geographic magazine. Since this announcement, five areas (mountains) have been discovered where the [the eastern population of] monarch overwinters, with a total of 13 loci.

Drawing by Diana Banville

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-15 TFN GRANT REPORT: TREE BEE PROGRAM

By Allison Hands, Education Coordinator, Forests Looking forward, Forests Ontario is excited to be Ontario expanding the Tree Bee program to York Region On Saturday November 15th, over 100 people gathered at in February 2015. Teachers interested in registering a team the (ROM) for the annual Toronto of up to 20 students can visit www.forestsontario.ca for Tree Bee, a fun and friendly competition in which students more information. in grades 4-6 test their knowledge of Ontario’s trees and Forests Ontario would like to thank and congratulate all forests. Over the course of the day, students working in the students who worked hard in the lead up to the 2014 teams of three identified tree species based on images of Tree Bee and brought such high levels of enthusiasm and key features and answered a series of questions on knowledge to this year’s competition. forest management and ecology.

Testing was based on a series of learning resources developed by Forests Ontario which assist teachers in bringing forestry into the classroom. Resources included quizzes and slideshows designed to guide students in identifying trees by features such as bark, leaves, seeds and buds, and to develop a basic understanding of forests and forest management. This year, Forests Ontario was pleased to launch updated online resources to engage an even greater number of students and teachers. New resources included an interactive forest literacy quiz as well as teacher and coordinator guides developed with support from the Toronto Field Naturalists.

“Students have had an incredible enthusiasm for Tree Bee since the very beginning,” said Rob Keen, Forests Ontario CEO. “We’ve had students participate one year and volunteer to coach at their own schools the following year. St. Elizabeth Seaton students pose with the team trophy When students can get excited about our forests, especially at such a young age, we’re laying the Find out more about Forest Ontario and foundation for a future generation that will value and Tree Bee at www.forestsontario.ca support the health of our ecosystems.”

Toronto Field Naturalists

Grants Program Red-tailed hawks flying TFN provides funding for projects and programs that Their calls captivating sounds further our objectives of connecting people and In the autumn breeze nature in Toronto. Please send your suggestions of nature-related Haiku by Maja Malinic projects and programs suitable for consideration for the 2015-16 TFN grants program to the TFN office (see contact info on page 2).

TFN 609-16 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

TFN GRANT REPORT: CHANGING CURRENTS PROGRAM

Connecting students to nature in their community, stoneflies and crayfish), and determine stream health by Holly Brose, Education Coordinator, EcoSpark through the analysis of their data. EcoSpark’s Changing Currents program introduces grade When they discover these tiny creatures hidden in the 8-12 students from across Toronto to their local streams stream any fears of getting dirty, wet and seeing and teaches them about watershed science. The TFN- something gross melt away. Kids become entranced by supported program allows students to get outside, put on these little bugs that are usually no more than 5cm long. hip waders, explore a stream, and learn about its One teacher found that during the study “everyone was importance and quality. We foster a deep connection to engaged and interested – even students who didn’t expect nature and inspire our student participants to be local to be into it, were!” stewards. EcoSpark’s program inspires students to become stewards and advocates for their local environment. Some schools directly engage in class stewardship projects, such as tree planting, and stream clean ups. And in many schools, teachers report that their students have returned to these natural areas on the weekends or after school to spend time outdoors. The stream study also enhances Toronto teachers’ ability to teach lessons with local relevance and meaning. A Toronto high school teacher, who has participated in the

program for multiple years, finds that the study “enables students to be involved in a real citizen science project. In addition, it is a really vivid way to discuss water quality.

… I use the stream study to kick-off an entire unit on the politics of water.” The program has a high number of returning teachers that come back each year to get their students learning through local nature. This past fall, 58% of participating teachers were returning to the program. With the support of the TFN, EcoSpark can continue to facilitate students’ transformative journey from student to scientist to steward for their local environment through our Changing Currents program. Changing Currents takes place in the waterways that run across school property and in the ravines students pass on their walk home. By situating a positive, hands-on, Left: sampling aquatic organisms learning experience in the nature they know but may not Below: crayfish from the stream yet have come to love, students connect their actions (and their community’s) directly to water quality. “Children are so deprived of nature,” comments a grade 8 teacher, “that I find this program to be absolutely essential in inspiring children to get outside and to feel invested in the natural world in their own community.” The program is a series of firsts for the students. It’s the first time kids are visiting their local stream, putting on waders, and doing real science, e.g., sampling bugs. “(I love) getting hands-on in the water and being able to do what real biologists get to do” says a grade 12 participant. The students follow a benthic biomonitoring protocol in which they collect and count aquatic organisms (such as

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-17

MICROPLASTICS IN LAKE ONTARIO

One of the detrimental effects of our use of fossil fuels is end of Lake Ontario. Plastic particles can range from the accumulation of the many forms of plastic across the microscopic beads, found in toothpaste and cosmetics entire surface of our planet. Last November, I attended a such as facial washes and hand creams, to pellets used by Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) plastic product manufacturers, fragmented plastic bags discussion on “Microplastics in Lake Ontario.” This and other products. Although plastic floats, chemicals program was part of the TRCA’s Lake Ontario Evenings (including toxins) can be adsorbed to the surface which information sessions which are offered several times a can make them heavy enough to sink into the bottom year. sediments. She has found plastic particles as deep as 8 centimeters in the bottom sediment. The final speaker was Dr. Paul Helm from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. He summarized some of their research from towing sampling nets through the waters of Lake Ontario and in some of the feeder streams. In Humber Bay their trawls found higher concentrations of plastic than the great “Northern Pacific Garbage Patch” which has been in the news so The first speaker was Dr. Patricia Corcoran from the much recently. University of Western Ontario. The first part of her talk was a general overview of plastics in the environment. Although the production of plastics on a global scale has increased dramatically from 1950 (2 million tonnes) to 2010 (285 million tonnes) the recovery of these plastics has seen minimal increase. Recycling of plastics is difficult because of the large variety of plastics, the contamination by food and other wastes and the low melting point of plastics which means contaminants are not easily removed. The second part of Dr. Corcoran’s talk focussed on some of the research she and her team All of the speakers emphasized what we can all do to have carried out in the lower Great Lakes. They reduce our use of plastics including taking a good look at completed studies on a number of beaches and catalogued labels on products to see if they contain microplastic the number and type or form of the plastic they found. beads, using our own bags and containers, and generally Eastern Lake reducing litter. Huron and Humber Bay For further information online try searching any of the seemed to be following sites: 5 Gyres, Plastic Soup Foundation, or the particularly bad Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. for plastic Ron Kentner particles. The worldwide effects on wildlife are well demonstrated. There have been many cases of sea turtles eating plastic bag ‘jellyfish’, gulls and other sea birds filling up on plastic and starving, and even invasive species hitch hiking around the world on plastic debris. The second speaker was Anika Ballent, a Masters student from UWO who is working mostly on examining plastic Left: alewife and snapping turtle debris in bottom sediments and beaches in the western Right: leopard frog and green frog Drawings by Diana Banville

TFN 609-18 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015 THE PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH

On September 21st, 300,000 to 400,000 people marched creativity. Pictured here are images of some of the street from morning to dusk through the streets of New York City. theatre giving voice to the caribou. The same day 2,646 rallies took place in 162 countries. Paul Hawken suggests in his book Blessed Unrest that when Responding to the call, four chartered buses left Toronto. Earth is considered a living system then Earth’s immune People slept in the bus, slept on church floors, and attended system is made up of the million or so organizatons all workshops and panels on the 20th. around the globe that are working for social justice, the The march was organized into contingents along 6 themes: environment, and indigenous people’s rights. He describes humanity’s immune response to political corruption,  Frontlines of crisis - indigenous, environmental justice economic disease and ecological degradation in a YouTube  Build the future - labour, families, students, elders video (search on Paul Hawken YouTube). The river of humanity in the streets and urban canyons of NYC on that  Solutions - renewable energy, food and water justice, environmental organizations day was a strong manifestation of Earth’s immune system. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon summoned  Calling out those who are responsible - anti-corporate campaigns, peace and justice international leaders to NYC in September, in advance of the Lima Climate Change Conference, to ‘get real on  The debate is over - scientists, interfaith climate,’ to lay out each country’s commitment to

 All aboard - community groups, municipalities, countries drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in light of what science informs us. And he initiated the call for ‘the people’ I marched with the faith community contingent, with Fast to fill the streets and impress upon our leaders our will that for the Climate (fastfortheclimate.org/en), “a growing they negotiate in good faith to protect our climate. The movement of youth, environmentalists and people of faith people answered the call. showing their strength of commitment by going without food once a month to call for world leaders to do more to It is little known that in June 2014, Natural Resources solve the climate crisis.” The overall crowd was so Canada quietly released Canada in a Changing Climate numerous that our contingent was stationed a full 3 hours (see: www.nrcan.gc.ca/environment/resources/publications/ before we could even begin to march. People connected impacts-adaptation/reports/assessments/2014/16309). No with others from across North America and around the fanfare, no press release, no statement by the Minister of the world. No matter which section you marched in, in all Environment or the Prime Minister – only repeated directions you were witnessing amazing diversity and revelations that Canada will not meet its weakened and inadequate GHG reduction targets. The IPCC Synthesis Report launched November 2nd makes our situation crystal clear. Ban Ki-moon relates the report’s 3 key messages: 1. Human influence on the climate system is clear and clearly growing. 2. We must act quickly and decisively if we want to avoid increasingly disruptive outcomes. 3. We have the means to limit climate change and build a better future. The report found that the world is largely very ill-prepared for the risks of changing climate, especially the poor and most vulnerable, who have contributed the least to this problem…. Leaders must act. Time is not on our side….Let us preserve our planet Earth, only planet Earth, in sustainable ways.” All hands on deck! It is clear to me that this is the fight of our lives, for our lives. Photo by Rachael Hellreich Rita Bijons

January 2015 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 609-19 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. High Park Walking Tours 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month from 10:00 to noon. Meet at the benches across the road south of Grenadier Restaurant. Information: 416-392-6916 or [email protected] or www.highpark.org.  Feb 1. The Naked Trees of Winter. A Toronto Urban Forester shows how trees survive and how to identify them.  Feb 15. Passion and Poetry. Writer Julia Bennett guides us through literary expressions of the park’s natural beauty.

Toronto Botanical Garden Feb 5, 7:30 pm. The Design of Living Landscapes: Putting back the layers. Speaker: Rick Darke, co-author with Doug Tallamy of The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden.

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.

Harbourfront Centre To June 2015. No Flat City, Toronto’s Incomparable Terrain. A photographic exhibit of the GTA landscape.

Toronto Entomogical Association Sat Feb 28, 1:15 pm. Room 206, Victoria College. Title TBA. Speaker: Sheila Colla, York University. Info. www.ontarioinsects.org

The Market Gallery Jan 24 - May 9. South St Lawrence Market, 2nd floor, 95 Front St E. Free. Toronto Observed Through Three Generations. Gallery closed Sun, Mon and holidays. Information: Toronto.ca/marketgallery

Science on Sundays – Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science (RCI) – Lectures Sundays at 2 pm (doors open at 1:15) unless otherwise noted. Macleod Auditorium, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle (nearest subway Queen’s Park Station ) Info: royalcanadianinstitute.org  Feb 1. Across International Boundaries: Tracking Birds and Butterflies. Speaker: Ryan Norris, University of Guelph  Feb 8. Lost Explorers: The Archaeology of John Franklin’s Last Expedition. Speaker: Robert W. Park, University of Waterloo  Feb 15. Keeping Time: Morning Larks, Night Owls and Circadian Rhythms. Speaker: Andrew Lim, University of Toronto  Feb 22. Roving the Solar System: Exploring from Afar. Speaker: Ralf Gellert, University of Guelph

Ian Wheal Walk Sat Feb 14, 1:30 pm. Heritage Walk: Palmerston Ave. A personal reminiscence of “the mayors’ street” (home to Mayors Horatio Hocken and Sam McBride). Meet at the entrance to Bathurst subway station.

WEATHER (THIS TIME LAST YEAR) February 2014 February continued the pattern, extraordinary for recent December to February mean temperature (meteorological decades, of persistent cold. The month was the coldest winter) averaged -7.1° at Pearson, the lowest since 1994 since 2007, with temperatures averaging 3.6° below which had a mean of -7.8°. normal at both the downtown station and Pearson Airport. Precipitation amounts and type were actually not unusual. Pearson’s mean daily minimum of -12.3° was the lowest Downtown had total precipitation of 57.7 mm (within one since 1994 which had -13.0°. Conditions overall were not mm of the 30-year average), which was broken down into quite as extreme as in January; the minimum temperature 37.9 cm of snowfall and 27.2 mm of rain. Pearson Airport reached -21.3° at Pearson on February 12, the only actual had 39.5 cm of snow and 17.0 mm of rain giving a sub-20° reading. However, aside from a teaser warm-up precipitation total of 54.4 mm. Snowfall totals were on the 19th to 22nd, it just plain stayed cold. The thaw slightly above normal but with fairly low water content. was not enough to remove the snow and ice from earlier in Moderate snowstorms hit Toronto on February 1, 5, and the winter, especially the hardened ice that had persisted 18 with about 8-15 cm of snow per hit. As noted earlier, since the pre-Christmas ice storm. snow cover persisted all month, with a snow pack of over The final few days of February were sunny and bitterly 20 cm for a period early to mid-month and thick deposits cold again, with a low of -19.8° at Pearson on the 28th. It of ice. was very much a winter of the 1970s or early 1980s. The Gavin Miller

TFN 609-20 Toronto Field Naturalist January 2015

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

Red-breasted merganser photographed by Ken Sproule at Col. Sam Smith Park, February 2014