Since 1923 Number 624 December 2016 Trees in Snow. Painting by Mary Anne Miller REGULARS FEATURES Children`s Corner 13 Coming Events 19 Scarborough Waterfront Project 8 Extracts from Outings Reports 9 Toronto’s Rose Family: Part III 11 From the Archives 19 In the News 15 Monarch-raising Report 12 Monthly Meetings Notice 3 Q&A: Willow Pine Cone Galls 14 Monthly Meeting Report 7 Urban Ravine Restoration Symposium 16 President’s Report 6 TFN Outings 4 Moccasin Lady’s Slipper 18 Weather – This Time Last Year 18 TFN 624-2 Toronto Field Naturalist December 2016 Mission Statement: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Toronto Field Naturalists connects people with President, Nature Reserves & Outings Charles Bruce-Thompson nature in the Toronto area. We help people Past-President Nancy Dengler understand, enjoy, and protect Toronto's green Vice-President Charles Crawford spaces and the species that inhabit them. Secretary-Treasurer Bob Kortright Environment Elizabeth Block Special Projects Jane Cluver Toronto Field Naturalist is published by the Toronto Field Newsletter Vivienne Denton Naturalists, a charitable, non-profit organization. Issued monthly September to December and February to May. Webmaster & Newsletter Lynn Miller Views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those Finance Anne Powell of the editor or Toronto Field Naturalists. The Newsletter is Promotions Jason Ramsay-Brown printed on 100% recycled paper. Monthly lectures Alex Wellington ISSN 0820-636X ONLINE MAILED MEMBERSHIP FEES NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER! We welcome contributions of original writing (between 20 YOUTH (under 26) $10 $20 and 500 words) of observations on nature, especially in the SENIOR SINGLE (65+) $30 $40 Toronto area. We also welcome reports, reviews, poems, SINGLE $40 $50 sketches, paintings and digital photographs. Please include SENIOR FAMILY (65+) $40 $50 “Newsletter” in the subject line when sending by e-mail, or FAMILY $50 $60 on the envelope if sent by mail. Please re-name digital photographs with the subject and No HST. Tax receipts issued for donations. Send membership fees your name (abbreviations ok). In the accompanying e-mail and address changes to the TFN office. include location, date and any interesting story or other Please note: TFN does not give out its membership list. information associated with the photograph. Deadline for submissions for February issue: Jan 3 Toronto Field Naturalists 1519 – 2 Carlton St, Toronto M5B 1J3 NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Tel: 416-593-2656 Kate Belmore, Kathleen Brooks, Jenny Bull, Julia Del Monte, Vivienne Denton, Karin Fawthrop, Nancy Web: www.torontofieldnaturalists.org Fredenburg, Elisabeth Gladstone, Judy Marshall, Lynn E-mail: [email protected] Miller, Toshi Oikawa, Jennifer Smith, Wendy Rothwell The office is open 9:30 am to noon on Fridays (editor). Printing and mailing: Perkins Services Inc. TFN is on Twitter and Facebook! Got something interesting to share? We’d love to get your photos and insights on TFN activities, Toronto nature events and interesting nature news. Just email [email protected] and be sure to include what your photo is and where it was taken. To read posts, go to www.torontofieldnaturalists.org and click on Twitter or Facebook. A Perfect Holiday Gift Consider sharing the benefits of TFN membership with your friends! We are confident that, once they discover the pleasures of our outings, lectures, newsletters and the companionship of other nature- lovers, they will want to renew. So we are offering a Holiday Special – half the normal membership fee when you, a TFN member, give a gift membership to someone who was not previously a member. This covers newsletters for December through May, which include outings lists to the end of August. December 2016 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 624-3 TFN MEETING Sunday, December 4, 2:30 pm Wolf and Coyote Behaviour Dennis Murray, Integrative Wildlife Conservation, Trent University, will describe how behaviour can affect the integrity of these populations, particularly the impact of hybridization on their conservation. VISITORS WELCOME! SOCIAL: 2:00 – 2:30 pm BOOK SALE AND SILENT AUCTION There will be a sale of used nature books and a silent auction for a numbered Robert Bateman print titled “Picnic Table.” Emmanuel College, Room 001, 75 Queen's Park Cres E Just south of Museum subway station exit, east side of Queen’s Park. Enter at south end of building, down a few steps on outside stairwell. Accessible entrance: second door south on Queen’s Park. 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 TFN LECTURES Tax Deductible Donations TFN is dependent on membership dues Feb 5 Seeing the Forest for the Deer: Do reductions and donations which enable us to help in deer disturbance lead to forest recovery? people in Toronto learn about, Dawn Bazeley, Professor, Dept. of Biology, appreciate and seek to protect our York University natural heritage. Mar 5 Empowering Youth as Conservation Leaders. Sarah Hedges, Conservation & Education If you wish to make a donation to TFN, Coordinator, Ontario Nature go to www.torontofieldnaturalists.org and click on Donate On-line through Apr 2 Green Roof Wildlife in Toronto: Opportunities CanadaHelps.org or you may send a and Limitations. cheque to the TFN office. Scott MacIvor, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Toronto, Scarborough As a charitable organization we issue receipts for use as deductions on your May 7 Grow Wild: Gardening with Native Plants. income tax return. Lorraine Johnson, author and expert on native plant gardens TFN 624-4 Toronto Field Naturalist December 2016 TFN OUTINGS TFN events are conducted by unpaid volunteers. TFN 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. Please thoroughly clean your footwear before each outing to avoid spreading invasive seeds. We recommend you check with the TTC for any schedule disruptions which may occur on weekends this winter. Allow extra time if necessary. Sat LOWER GARRISON CREEK – Nature Dec 3 Leader: Alexander Cappell. Meet at the northwest corner of Bathurst St and Fort York Blvd where now-buried 1:30 pm Garrison Creek once flowed into Lake Ontario. We'll follow the creek bed north along curving streets and through parks to a coffee shop near Dufferin St and Bloor St W. A linear walk, mostly paved, with one set of stairs and some gentle slopes. Washrooms at end of walk. Sun LECTURE: Wolf and Coyote Behaviour Dec 4 Speaker: Dennis Murray, Integrative Wildlife Conservation, Trent University 2:30 pm Meet at Emmanuel College, Room 001, 75 Queen’s Park Cres E. See details page 3. Wed TORONTO ISLAND – Birds Dec 7 Leader: Anne Powell. Meet at the ferry terminal for the 10 am ferry to Ward’s Island for a circular walk on mostly 9:45 am paved surfaces, mainly flat. Bring binoculars. Washrooms at beginning of walk. Will return on 11:45 ferry. Sat EAST DON PARKLANDS – Nature Walk Dec 10 Leader: Stephen Kamnitzer. Meet at Second Cup, 1567 Steeles Ave E just east of Laureleaf Rd and the Esso Gas 10:00 am Station for a 2 1/2 hour circular walk on mostly unpaved and uneven surfaces with some steep slopes and stairs. We will explore the East Don Parklands between Steeles and Finch using the main paved path and various unofficial unpaved trails. Bring binoculars and water. Optional coffee stop after at Second Cup. Washrooms at beginning of walk. Wed LESLIE CREEK – Nature, Trees and Heritage Dec 14 Leader: Joanne Doucette. Meet outside Pape subway station for a linear walk on mostly paved surfaces with gentle 10:30 am slopes and stairs and maybe some slippery surfaces. Leslie Creek is underground but we will follow its course south to Lesliegrove Park on Queen St E. Learn about Canada's ‘Johnny Appleseed,’ George Leslie and the trees he loved. Morning only. Washrooms at beginning of walk. Sat TADDLE CREEK – Nature Walk Dec 17 Leader: Alexander Cappell. Meet at the northeast corner of Queen St W and James St (1 block west of Yonge St) for a 1:30 pm linear walk on fairly flat, mostly paved, surfaces. We will find traces of buried Taddle Creek at the Eaton Centre, the U of T campus, the ROM, and in some small parkettes and curving streets north of Bloor St W in The Annex. We'll end at a coffee shop near Casa Loma. Sun DON VALLEY BRICKWORKS – Lost Rivers Dec 18 Leaders: Members of First Story Toronto, Rivers Rising Ambassadors and Lost Rivers. Meet at the Watershed 2:00 pm Consciousness Wall by the front entrance drop-off at the main Evergreen Brickworks building. Celebrate the Winter Solstice and the start of the Second Rivers Rising season with First Story and Toronto Green Community. Enjoy the Evergreen winter village at the end of the tour. Tues COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK – Birds Dec 20 Leader: Doug Paton. Meet at the southwest corner of Lake Shore Blvd W and Kipling Ave for a circular walk. 10:00 am Morning only. Thurs TORONTO ISLAND – Birds Dec 29 Leader: Anne Powell. Meet at the ferry terminal for the 10 am ferry to Ward’s Island for a circular walk on mostly 9:45 am paved surfaces, mainly flat.