Niagara River Duck Drive for Alison Bell by Earl Plato
Winter ducks and birds anyone? Here in late January, 2008
Elaine and I did our annual Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara River Duck Drive. With bird glasses, scope and camera we started out near Old Fort Erie. It was a cloudy day and mid-morning. The Niagara river was glossy and peaceful. Canada geese and mallards plentiful near Frenchman’s Creek. We drove on the Niagara Parkway to Black Creek. There on its north side was a great multitude of ducks, Canada geese and swans all mingled together. Pull into the parking spot and observe. Canvas backs, Common mergansers, Buffleheads, Scaups and did I see a Harlequin duck> Elaine said “No!” On through Niagara Falls and the many gulls on the rocky islands above the Falls, Ring billed gulls and some black backed gulls. No stopping this time. Our destination was Niagara-on-the Lake and the Long Tail ducks once called Old Squaws. Still following the Niagara Parkway we entered the historic town. As we approached the parking place at the mouth of the Niagara across from Fort Niagara we lowered our windows. We wanted to hear the piercing mating calls of this our most northern Arctic duck. I set up my scope and zeroed in on the nearest ducks. The Old squaw male has a very long tail. Its body is boldly patterned in black and white this time of year We had seen as many 200 of these beautiful ducks here in 2006. It is an “ Arctic duck” fix I look forward to each year. Unforgettable. Besides the fudge shop is in town. . Quite a day, eh. Remember we must drive south along the Parkway back to Fort Erie. What would we see now?
Why not travel the Niagara Parkway this winter and look and listen for our waterfowl.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Hooked!
That’s Boring! Earl Plato
“That’s boring.” That’s a daily comment among many of our young people. I’ve heard it for years. As an old educator I say, “get them hooked.” Hooked! Perhaps that’s not the best word. But think about it. Young people today are bombarded from all sides with scenes of violence, sexual explicitness, drug addiction from peer pressure and so-called alcoholic pleasures.. Why? These forces are determined to get them “hooked.” Yes, this is not an easy world as we have entered 2006 A.D. for our young people to grow up in. Mass killings haave occurred in the high schools in North America shocking? Sickening? Yes. These youths had headed the wrong way in life. They were bored with the wholesome and ordinary life of a teenager that the great percentage of our young people have accepted. At Backus Woods near Long Point, Ontario several years ago I saw fifty plus high school students being “hooked.” They waded into the stream collecting frogs and salamanders and water insects. They were fascinated with their discoveries. Some entered Backus Woods to study mammals, trees and wildflowers. No boredom here. I know you might say, “These are exceptional students.” Not so, according to Gwen, the coordinator. This was an ordinary Grade Ten class who had come to the Outdoor Centre each year since Grade Six. They were being “hooked” on nature. You know what? I believe that their general outlook on life as a result of involvement in nature will be affected for the good. Personally the fact that the late Bert Miller, great Fort Erie naturalist, influenced many of us in our youth by encouraging us to uncover the mysteries of our natural Creation. He made a lifelong positive influence on us. The forming of the Bert Miller nature Club of Greater Fort Erie is one result. There are many ways to get your children “hooked” on positive things and ideas. We sent our children to church camps for years and now our grandchildren are going. The pluses from such involvement is great. I have never heard from them the words, “We were bored.” This writer has a great love for history and specifically local history. Get your child hooked” on exploring the past. Become bored? I don’t think so. Team sports, properly coached, are always character builders in our youth. Do something this summer that will have a positive effect on your children or grandchildren for life. Get them “hooked” for “Good.!”
“That’s boring.” That’s a daily comment among many of our young people. I’ve heard it for years. As an old educator I say, “get them hooked.” Hooked! Perhaps that’s not the best word. But think about it. Young people today are bombarded from all sides with scenes of violence, sexual explicitness, drug addiction from peer pressure and so-called alcoholic pleasures.. Why? These forces are determined to get them “hooked.” Yes, this is not an easy world as we have entered 2006 A.D. for our young people to grow up in. Mass killings haave occurred in the high schools in North America shocking? Sickening? Yes. These youths had headed the wrong way in life. They were bored with the wholesome and ordinary life of a teenager that the great percentage of our young people have accepted. At Backus Woods near Long Point, Ontario several years ago I saw fifty plus high school students being “hooked.” They waded into the stream collecting frogs and salamanders and water insects. They were fascinated with their discoveries. Some entered Backus Woods to study mammals, trees and wildflowers. No boredom here. I know you might say, “These are exceptional students.” Not so, according to Gwen, the coordinator. This was an ordinary Grade Ten class who had come to the Outdoor Centre each year since Grade Six. They were being “hooked” on nature. You know what? I believe that their general outlook on life as a result of involvement in nature will be affected for the good. Personally the fact that the late Bert Miller, great Fort Erie naturalist, influenced many of us in our youth by encouraging us to uncover the mysteries of our natural Creation. He made a lifelong positive influence on us. The forming of the Bert Miller nature Club of Greater Fort Erie is one result. There are many ways to get your children “hooked” on positive things and ideas. We sent our children to church camps for years and now our grandchildren are going. The pluses from such involvement is great. I have never heard from them the words, “We were bored.” This writer has a great love for history and specifically local history. Get your child hooked” on exploring the past. Become bored? I don’t think so. Team sports, properly coached, are always character builders in our youth. Do something this summer that will have a positive effect on your children or grandchildren for life. Get them “hooked” for “Good.!”
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Animal Tracks
Animal Tracks Earl Plato
We are on the Lower Trail at Marcy Woods. My quest are for animal tracks. Of all the tracks I have seen there is one that I have never recognized at Marcys. I told owner Dino DiDizeno Jr. that I had seen that Carolinian transplant, the opossums’ dead bodies, on Point Abino Road, Mitchener Road, and last year even on Matthews Road. These three roads surround the Marcy farm property north of Marcy Woods. Point? There must be some opossums in the Woods. I told Dino Jr. that I love tracking animals. I have three animal track books - The largest and most complete is the Peterson Guide book. Great for reference but too bulky to carry at least for me. Friend, Erin, gave me a more compact one, Animal Tracks Ontario, by Ian Sheldon. It’s my favourite. One I had for years is the convenient, Track Finder, by Dorcas Miller. Tattered and torn it now rates below the Sheldon book. Opossums or possums, what do you know about them and their tracks?
Sme fifty years now this slow moving marsupial from the Carolinas has lived in Southern Ontario. That’s my guess. I have had some exciting encounters with the ‘possum. That’s another story. It’s the unusual tracks it makes that I find interesting. I have seen them in mud and yes, even in the snow during the warmer weeks of winter as late as in 2002. I remember the unusual hind print next or beside the fore print. Once you have seen the ‘possum’s rear foot print you won’t forget it. The long, distinctive , inward-pointing thumb is unique. No other mammal has such a footprint. I have seen one possum with a shortened tail. Normally the long-naked tail makes a line in the snow as it rambles along. This thinly haired animal can suffer from frost bite and as a result the unprotected tail suffers irreparable damage and part may fall off. Remember that it’s primarily an animal of the Carolinas and warmer temperatures. Look for the tell tale opossum tracks.
***
Joyce Berry of Ridgeway (Thunder Bay) has photos of local opossums. John Day of Ridgeway has three ‘possuns visitors on a regular basis.
John feeds them and knows quite a bit of their daily habits. After several decades of its presence in Southern Ontario let’s accept this southern transplant as a natural citizen.
We are on the Lower Trail at Marcy Woods. My quest are for animal tracks. Of all the tracks I have seen there is one that I have never recognized at Marcys. I told owner Dino DiDizeno Jr. that I had seen that Carolinian transplant, the opossums’ dead bodies, on Point Abino Road, Mitchener Road, and last year even on Matthews Road. These three roads surround the Marcy farm property north of Marcy Woods. Point? There must be some opossums in the Woods. I told Dino Jr. that I love tracking animals. I have three animal track books - The largest and most complete is the Peterson Guide book. Great for reference but too bulky to carry at least for me. Friend, Erin, gave me a more compact one, Animal Tracks Ontario, by Ian Sheldon. It’s my favourite. One I had for years is the convenient, Track Finder, by Dorcas Miller. Tattered and torn it now rates below the Sheldon book. Opossums or possums, what do you know about them and their tracks?
Sme fifty years now this slow moving marsupial from the Carolinas has lived in Southern Ontario. That’s my guess. I have had some exciting encounters with the ‘possum. That’s another story. It’s the unusual tracks it makes that I find interesting. I have seen them in mud and yes, even in the snow during the warmer weeks of winter as late as in 2002. I remember the unusual hind print next or beside the fore print. Once you have seen the ‘possum’s rear foot print you won’t forget it. The long, distinctive , inward-pointing thumb is unique. No other mammal has such a footprint. I have seen one possum with a shortened tail. Normally the long-naked tail makes a line in the snow as it rambles along. This thinly haired animal can suffer from frost bite and as a result the unprotected tail suffers irreparable damage and part may fall off. Remember that it’s primarily an animal of the Carolinas and warmer temperatures. Look for the tell tale opossum tracks.
***
Joyce Berry of Ridgeway (Thunder Bay) has photos of local opossums. John Day of Ridgeway has three ‘possuns visitors on a regular basis.
John feeds them and knows quite a bit of their daily habits. After several decades of its presence in Southern Ontario let’s accept this southern transplant as a natural citizen.
Really? & Smell
NN1406A Earl Plato
Cynthia Skinner of Sherkston, a member of the Bert Miller Nature Club, has just returned from a long stay in Arkansas. She called me and I thanked her for the many news clippings she had sent me. Most of them were about the giant Ivory-billed woodpecker. Here’s the latest “ Last Week’s Call of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Festival drew hundreds of birdwatchers to Brinkley, Arkansas. Ornithologists remained upbeat about the bird’s existence. There have been several reported sightings over the past two years.” I am going to wear the T-shirt with Ivory-bills embossed on it. Why? If it’s true about the Ivory-bill then I am happy that mankind has not been successful in wiping out another bird species. That’s why I will wear it. The little news clipping concluded with “The Ivory bill lives!” I hope so.
***
Where have all the Marcy Woods frogs gone? This year in early May only Neil Riechelt and I heard the duck-like quacks of this diminutive masked amphibian - The Wood frog. Midmorning we walked the Lower Trail and as we approached the pond we heard those familiar sounds. I had not
monitored the frogs of Marcy Woods for at least four years. Now that the DiCienzo family had purchased the Woods I was anxious to see and at least hear the great sounds of many Spring peepers, Chorus frogs and my favourite the Wood frogs.
All that Neil and I heard were at least ten quacking Wood frogs. That’s all - no spring peepers or Chorus frogs. I had been there earlier in the week with daughter Allison - no frogs. Next day I returned with daughter Diane - not a frog sound. What gives? Any reasons? Call me at 905-894-2417 or e-mail me - plato1@cogeco.ca
***
Smell, that’s one of our senses that helps you when in Marcy Woods. Alas, a past weekend one of the walkers with me had lost his sense of smell. I had taken a piece of Wild leek and let the others smell the onion-like odour. This past Saturday, May 27th I scratched the twig of a Spice bush with my knife. The pungent smell of the Spice bush assailed the nostrils of the University of Guelph field naturalists who were with me. As we walked along south on the Trail I pointed to a large Yellow birch. I said to Kevin, a very knowledgeable botanist, “They say the buds of this tree have a wintergreen flavour.” Kevin cut a little twig from a young Yellow birch that grew next to the parent. He scraped the twig and you could detect the slight but real smell of wintergreen. I took a tender leaf and crushed it and, yes, the smell of wintergreen. Want unusual natural smells? Marcy Woods has them.
Cynthia Skinner of Sherkston, a member of the Bert Miller Nature Club, has just returned from a long stay in Arkansas. She called me and I thanked her for the many news clippings she had sent me. Most of them were about the giant Ivory-billed woodpecker. Here’s the latest “ Last Week’s Call of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Festival drew hundreds of birdwatchers to Brinkley, Arkansas. Ornithologists remained upbeat about the bird’s existence. There have been several reported sightings over the past two years.” I am going to wear the T-shirt with Ivory-bills embossed on it. Why? If it’s true about the Ivory-bill then I am happy that mankind has not been successful in wiping out another bird species. That’s why I will wear it. The little news clipping concluded with “The Ivory bill lives!” I hope so.
***
Where have all the Marcy Woods frogs gone? This year in early May only Neil Riechelt and I heard the duck-like quacks of this diminutive masked amphibian - The Wood frog. Midmorning we walked the Lower Trail and as we approached the pond we heard those familiar sounds. I had not
monitored the frogs of Marcy Woods for at least four years. Now that the DiCienzo family had purchased the Woods I was anxious to see and at least hear the great sounds of many Spring peepers, Chorus frogs and my favourite the Wood frogs.
All that Neil and I heard were at least ten quacking Wood frogs. That’s all - no spring peepers or Chorus frogs. I had been there earlier in the week with daughter Allison - no frogs. Next day I returned with daughter Diane - not a frog sound. What gives? Any reasons? Call me at 905-894-2417 or e-mail me - plato1@cogeco.ca
***
Smell, that’s one of our senses that helps you when in Marcy Woods. Alas, a past weekend one of the walkers with me had lost his sense of smell. I had taken a piece of Wild leek and let the others smell the onion-like odour. This past Saturday, May 27th I scratched the twig of a Spice bush with my knife. The pungent smell of the Spice bush assailed the nostrils of the University of Guelph field naturalists who were with me. As we walked along south on the Trail I pointed to a large Yellow birch. I said to Kevin, a very knowledgeable botanist, “They say the buds of this tree have a wintergreen flavour.” Kevin cut a little twig from a young Yellow birch that grew next to the parent. He scraped the twig and you could detect the slight but real smell of wintergreen. I took a tender leaf and crushed it and, yes, the smell of wintergreen. Want unusual natural smells? Marcy Woods has them.
Ernest Thompson Seton (2)
Ernest Thompson Seton (Part Two) - They made fun of him at nis new school in Toronto. It was such a big school that none of his brothers were in his class. “When I was four in England I was riding “horsey”on a high sofa. I fell on my head. I saw two two mothers and two clocks and two of everything!” My eyes became badly crossed and I had to squint. I was called “Squinty.” Despite his eyesight he still continued to love books. A favourite was his father’s Pictorial Book of Nature. He started sketching - flowers, birds and animals. Then he heard about Ross’s Birds of Canada. Ernest wanted a copy and saved his money until he had a dollar . He walked into the big book store and purchased his prized book. He was inspired to draw more. “At the age of 13 I built my own cabin in the Don Valley. It was my favourite place toget away. I did more art - mostly nature but also city buildings and people. All the time I wanted to be a naturalist. I talked with my mother about my anbitions. My father overheard and said, “NO! You will become an artist!” At Art school he won a gold medal at the Ontario School of Art and won a scholarship to study art in England. He went to England but his father gave him little help. He studied at the Royal Academy of Art but was very lonely and almost destitute. He learned more skills but after the scholarship was over he returned home as a 21 year old. He felt like a failure to his father who had kept a list of all the money and things he had given to Ernest. His father demanded to be paid back in full for his support. His mother welcomed him back and continued to believe in his dreams. Now back in Ontario he had no job. To him all wildlife was interesting - especially birds. “I will become a naturalist.” With his mother’s blessing he headed west to Manitoba. It was a happy time for Ernest. “I explored across the vast prairie - learning more and more. My poor health was over and for the next two years I was blessed with increasing strength. I had my books, my birds and animals, and my dreams.” Ernest was oficially appointed naturalist for the government of Manitoba. He drew more and more - sold sketches and drawings - did well. paid his father in full ion return visit to Toronto. He missed his mother very much but returned west to his job.
In defference to her he changed his surname to his mothers. Born Ernest Seton Thompson he now became ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. He was invited to New Mexico by the United States government to write four volumes - Life History of North American Animals. He was now writing short stories and novels about wildlife and was getting widespread fame. His most famous book, Wild Animals I Have Known, is still being reprinted in 2005.
In defference to her he changed his surname to his mothers. Born Ernest Seton Thompson he now became ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. He was invited to New Mexico by the United States government to write four volumes - Life History of North American Animals. He was now writing short stories and novels about wildlife and was getting widespread fame. His most famous book, Wild Animals I Have Known, is still being reprinted in 2005.
Summer Time - Did I Forget?
Butterfly Bush and Earl Plato
Greetings from cousins in Norway on this bright, late August day. These words “ We have had a hot summer too -25-30 Celsius.” Small world we live in. I have butterfly bushes and in a previous article mentioned butterflies coming to feed on them. One species was the beautiful Red admiral. Guess what? My cousin sent to me as an E-mail attachment from near Oslo, Norway. There feeding on my cousin’s butterfly bush blossoms was clearly a Red admiral! The photo could have been taken here in Ridgeway. Thanks for sharing, cousin.
***
I was talking about them this week. I had not seen any yet this summer. Elaine and I were away on a day bus trip when they arrived at our butterfly bushes. Thank goodness three of our grandchildren and their parents came over. They saw two of them. Have you ever seen Hummingbird hawk moths ? This moth unlike most moths is seen on clear sunny days. Many people confuse them with hummingbirds because of their colouration and their movements. Our moths were about two inches (5 cm) long. From an earlier photo I took they have an olive-green body with red bands across their abdomen. They move quickly darting here and there on our Black-eyed susans and our butterfly bushes. Tuffs of hair at the end of their abdomen look like feathers. Watch them if you can as they feed. They have a long, thin needle-like mouthpiece called a proboscis by which they feed. As they come to flowers they uncoil their proboscis deep into the flower where the nectar is. Like a humingbird, eh.
***
Friend Jerry Reising, nature writer for the Buffalo News, shares this about The Pests of August. “Never slap a yellow jacket against your body. They emit pheromone that leads others to attack.” I know as a youth I asked boyhood friend, Ken, to slap the yellow jacket on my back. Six more stings later I learned the lesson! Don’t want yellow jackets around? Keep foods covered, clean up garbage and pick ripe fruit from your garden. Use perfumed scents sparingly at this time of the year- they attract yellow jackets. Stay away from their nests. Remember they can fly faster than you can run!
Greetings from cousins in Norway on this bright, late August day. These words “ We have had a hot summer too -25-30 Celsius.” Small world we live in. I have butterfly bushes and in a previous article mentioned butterflies coming to feed on them. One species was the beautiful Red admiral. Guess what? My cousin sent to me as an E-mail attachment from near Oslo, Norway. There feeding on my cousin’s butterfly bush blossoms was clearly a Red admiral! The photo could have been taken here in Ridgeway. Thanks for sharing, cousin.
***
I was talking about them this week. I had not seen any yet this summer. Elaine and I were away on a day bus trip when they arrived at our butterfly bushes. Thank goodness three of our grandchildren and their parents came over. They saw two of them. Have you ever seen Hummingbird hawk moths ? This moth unlike most moths is seen on clear sunny days. Many people confuse them with hummingbirds because of their colouration and their movements. Our moths were about two inches (5 cm) long. From an earlier photo I took they have an olive-green body with red bands across their abdomen. They move quickly darting here and there on our Black-eyed susans and our butterfly bushes. Tuffs of hair at the end of their abdomen look like feathers. Watch them if you can as they feed. They have a long, thin needle-like mouthpiece called a proboscis by which they feed. As they come to flowers they uncoil their proboscis deep into the flower where the nectar is. Like a humingbird, eh.
***
Friend Jerry Reising, nature writer for the Buffalo News, shares this about The Pests of August. “Never slap a yellow jacket against your body. They emit pheromone that leads others to attack.” I know as a youth I asked boyhood friend, Ken, to slap the yellow jacket on my back. Six more stings later I learned the lesson! Don’t want yellow jackets around? Keep foods covered, clean up garbage and pick ripe fruit from your garden. Use perfumed scents sparingly at this time of the year- they attract yellow jackets. Stay away from their nests. Remember they can fly faster than you can run!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
On the Trail
On The Trail 6 Earl Plato
Stop! Stop means stop! C’mon man! You mean I have to slow down and stop at each place on the Friendship Trail where there’s a STOP sign? Yes! That’s right! In my car we drove yesterday slowly down Kraft Road south off Dominion Road. We wanted to park on the shoulder just past the trail and hike. In a flash a bicyclist raced past us. No stop at the Stop sign posted on the trail. The man in his late twenties could have been seriously hurt or even killed. I truly had no time to react and hit the brakes. We were shocked to say the least. What a stupid act. Treed on both sides in this area he couldn’t have seen me approaching. All the more reason to slow down and stop. Tom Wilby called last Saturday and he reinforced the point above. Unfriendly cyclists, inliners and yes even runners in the Windmill Point and Stonemill crossings are continually breaking the law, so Tom said. At whose expense? Would you like to have a bicyclist crash into the side of your car? Not your fault, so you say. A real friendly person respects others. This is the Friendship Trail and users on wheels or on foot need to respect those Stop signs at each road intersection. Be friendly Trail users.
STOP means STOP and looking both ways before moving on across an intersection is a common sense act. After our close encounter with the “not-so-smart” cyclist we walked the new trail from Kraft to Edgemere in a circle route. What a beautiful little section of the Trail. You are walking through a woods on both sides. I am a stump lover. There’s a neat one on the west side of the trail. Again octegenarian mother-in-law felt I walked too slowly and not far enough! Hey she’s a power walker I am just a nature walker. The Trail serves all kinds of walkers.
Use the Friendship Trail. Use it continually. Use it safely!
Stop! Stop means stop! C’mon man! You mean I have to slow down and stop at each place on the Friendship Trail where there’s a STOP sign? Yes! That’s right! In my car we drove yesterday slowly down Kraft Road south off Dominion Road. We wanted to park on the shoulder just past the trail and hike. In a flash a bicyclist raced past us. No stop at the Stop sign posted on the trail. The man in his late twenties could have been seriously hurt or even killed. I truly had no time to react and hit the brakes. We were shocked to say the least. What a stupid act. Treed on both sides in this area he couldn’t have seen me approaching. All the more reason to slow down and stop. Tom Wilby called last Saturday and he reinforced the point above. Unfriendly cyclists, inliners and yes even runners in the Windmill Point and Stonemill crossings are continually breaking the law, so Tom said. At whose expense? Would you like to have a bicyclist crash into the side of your car? Not your fault, so you say. A real friendly person respects others. This is the Friendship Trail and users on wheels or on foot need to respect those Stop signs at each road intersection. Be friendly Trail users.
STOP means STOP and looking both ways before moving on across an intersection is a common sense act. After our close encounter with the “not-so-smart” cyclist we walked the new trail from Kraft to Edgemere in a circle route. What a beautiful little section of the Trail. You are walking through a woods on both sides. I am a stump lover. There’s a neat one on the west side of the trail. Again octegenarian mother-in-law felt I walked too slowly and not far enough! Hey she’s a power walker I am just a nature walker. The Trail serves all kinds of walkers.
Use the Friendship Trail. Use it continually. Use it safely!
Shagbark Park
nature Earl Plato
Want some peace and quiet? Take a walk through Shagbark Trail Park in Ridgeway. Thanks to the town’s vision and the Ridgeway Lions’ Club we now have about 60 acres of greenery. Too late now for many of the spring flowers but still time to discover the reason for the trail’s name, the Shagbark hickory. Young Shagbark hickory trees have smooth gray bark. Confusing, yes. I have been told that it takes about 30 years for this hickory to “shag.” Look for the mature trees that have distinctive shaggy bark composed of thin narrow strips that curve outward at the ends. I drew a shagbark hickory tree on the south trail. How old is it? take a guess. The name “hickory” comes from the American Indian word for the oily food removed from pounded kernels (hickory nuts) steeped in boiling water. This sweet hickory milk was used in cooking corn cakes and hominy. Our early European settlers made a yellow dye from the inner bark. Many of us have collected nuts from these trees and have enjoyed them. Check them out in Shagbark Trail and take some time to just enjoy this great natural setting.
***
Butterfly fields? Over 2,000 plugs of butterfly attracting plants are now hopefully growing in five large areas on either side of Shagbark Trail path in Ridgeway. On June 4, 2005 many helped to see one of the many early phases become a reality that will turn the park into a beautiful natural setting. What will you see in the future? Monarchs, swallowtails, fritillaries, sulphurs, hairstreaks, admirals, viceroys, blues, skippers, commas and on and on. I can’t wait.
***
Shagbark Trail Park has some interesting trees beside its namesake - Shagbark hickory. Years ago naturalist Ernie Giles while we were in Shagbark woods answered my question. Are there two hornbeam species in here? I was confused. I grew up with the Ironwood or as we called it “muscle” tree in our back woods. Ernie said, “Look here. This is Hop Hornbeam.” The trees about only 5-6 inches across had gray-brown bark with countless papery vertical strips. “ Its scientific name is Ostrya virginiana. It’s a carolinian tree.” Back then I didn’t know about Carolinian Canada. “There’s some Ironwood over here. They call it Blue beech because of the shape of its leaf but it is also called Hornbeam.” Confusing? Ironwood has tight bark of wavy and twisting blue and gray bands that look like a strong man’s forearm. However, research tells me that the leaves of the Ironwood are about the same shape. size, and general appearance of the Hop hornbeam. Two distinctly different trees except that both are Carolinian species and their leaves are closely similar. They are all through Shagbark Park.
Want some peace and quiet? Take a walk through Shagbark Trail Park in Ridgeway. Thanks to the town’s vision and the Ridgeway Lions’ Club we now have about 60 acres of greenery. Too late now for many of the spring flowers but still time to discover the reason for the trail’s name, the Shagbark hickory. Young Shagbark hickory trees have smooth gray bark. Confusing, yes. I have been told that it takes about 30 years for this hickory to “shag.” Look for the mature trees that have distinctive shaggy bark composed of thin narrow strips that curve outward at the ends. I drew a shagbark hickory tree on the south trail. How old is it? take a guess. The name “hickory” comes from the American Indian word for the oily food removed from pounded kernels (hickory nuts) steeped in boiling water. This sweet hickory milk was used in cooking corn cakes and hominy. Our early European settlers made a yellow dye from the inner bark. Many of us have collected nuts from these trees and have enjoyed them. Check them out in Shagbark Trail and take some time to just enjoy this great natural setting.
***
Butterfly fields? Over 2,000 plugs of butterfly attracting plants are now hopefully growing in five large areas on either side of Shagbark Trail path in Ridgeway. On June 4, 2005 many helped to see one of the many early phases become a reality that will turn the park into a beautiful natural setting. What will you see in the future? Monarchs, swallowtails, fritillaries, sulphurs, hairstreaks, admirals, viceroys, blues, skippers, commas and on and on. I can’t wait.
***
Shagbark Trail Park has some interesting trees beside its namesake - Shagbark hickory. Years ago naturalist Ernie Giles while we were in Shagbark woods answered my question. Are there two hornbeam species in here? I was confused. I grew up with the Ironwood or as we called it “muscle” tree in our back woods. Ernie said, “Look here. This is Hop Hornbeam.” The trees about only 5-6 inches across had gray-brown bark with countless papery vertical strips. “ Its scientific name is Ostrya virginiana. It’s a carolinian tree.” Back then I didn’t know about Carolinian Canada. “There’s some Ironwood over here. They call it Blue beech because of the shape of its leaf but it is also called Hornbeam.” Confusing? Ironwood has tight bark of wavy and twisting blue and gray bands that look like a strong man’s forearm. However, research tells me that the leaves of the Ironwood are about the same shape. size, and general appearance of the Hop hornbeam. Two distinctly different trees except that both are Carolinian species and their leaves are closely similar. They are all through Shagbark Park.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Earth Worms Anyone?
Worms Anyone? Earl Plato
Usually I am looking up in the trees or the sky for birds. This wet day I am looking down. Why? It’s spring and the ground is wet. M. Wayland under the title, Wonderful Worms, wrote in the latest Wildlife magazine the following: “They may not be lovely to look at but earthworms are truly a gardener’s best friends, aerating and enriching the soil.” A worm, is a worm, is just a worm. Not so. Wayland’s article is well presented with good illustrations about ten worm species. I am going to talk about our most familiar Canadian worms. I want to go fishing with the guys come the long weekend in May. So I did a little research, First the Night Crawler or Dew worm (Lumbricus terrestris) us the largest earthworm ib Canada stretching up to 300 millimetres long!
I believe that’s over ten inches. It can live up to ten years! Colours? It may be dark brown, dark red or dark purple. It has a flattened body unlike some other large worms. Its head and sexual organs are more than two centimetres apart. That’s unusual. It forms deep vertical burrows and is found from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Going fishing? Find some of these dew worms in the early morning. Good luck with the night crawlers. Next are little guys, the Red Wriggler Worm. I knew them as manure worms. Some call them tiger worms (Eisenia foetida) and they measure only 36 to 60 millimetres in length. They have dark-and lighter-red stripes hence the ‘tigrt’ label. They are found from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island. Wayland says, “… close to human habitation. Are you a fisherman? Then go for the Red Marsh Worm. Do you remember the worm farm on the way to Hamilton on Highway #20? Lumbricus rubellus is well known as a fish bait species. It has been cultivated on an industrial scale. It is a medium-sized dank-red worm generally less than 60 millimetres. However, they can grow to 150 millimetres. Found from west to east coast. The last of my worms is the Canadian Worm , the greyish (Aporrectodea tuberculation) is widely distributed and common in Canada. It’s found usually in wet areas where there is a high concentration of organic matter. It usually measures 90 to 150 millimetres in length. I will look for this one in Marcy Woods this spring.
Writer’s note: The prominent swelling near the head is the clitella which contains both male and female structures, hence earthworms are hermaphroditic. They do not have eyes, ears or noses. They do have a sort of tongue that helps them to gather information about their environment. They breathe through their skin. Look for different worms this spring. Why not?
Usually I am looking up in the trees or the sky for birds. This wet day I am looking down. Why? It’s spring and the ground is wet. M. Wayland under the title, Wonderful Worms, wrote in the latest Wildlife magazine the following: “They may not be lovely to look at but earthworms are truly a gardener’s best friends, aerating and enriching the soil.” A worm, is a worm, is just a worm. Not so. Wayland’s article is well presented with good illustrations about ten worm species. I am going to talk about our most familiar Canadian worms. I want to go fishing with the guys come the long weekend in May. So I did a little research, First the Night Crawler or Dew worm (Lumbricus terrestris) us the largest earthworm ib Canada stretching up to 300 millimetres long!
I believe that’s over ten inches. It can live up to ten years! Colours? It may be dark brown, dark red or dark purple. It has a flattened body unlike some other large worms. Its head and sexual organs are more than two centimetres apart. That’s unusual. It forms deep vertical burrows and is found from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Going fishing? Find some of these dew worms in the early morning. Good luck with the night crawlers. Next are little guys, the Red Wriggler Worm. I knew them as manure worms. Some call them tiger worms (Eisenia foetida) and they measure only 36 to 60 millimetres in length. They have dark-and lighter-red stripes hence the ‘tigrt’ label. They are found from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island. Wayland says, “… close to human habitation. Are you a fisherman? Then go for the Red Marsh Worm. Do you remember the worm farm on the way to Hamilton on Highway #20? Lumbricus rubellus is well known as a fish bait species. It has been cultivated on an industrial scale. It is a medium-sized dank-red worm generally less than 60 millimetres. However, they can grow to 150 millimetres. Found from west to east coast. The last of my worms is the Canadian Worm , the greyish (Aporrectodea tuberculation) is widely distributed and common in Canada. It’s found usually in wet areas where there is a high concentration of organic matter. It usually measures 90 to 150 millimetres in length. I will look for this one in Marcy Woods this spring.
Writer’s note: The prominent swelling near the head is the clitella which contains both male and female structures, hence earthworms are hermaphroditic. They do not have eyes, ears or noses. They do have a sort of tongue that helps them to gather information about their environment. They breathe through their skin. Look for different worms this spring. Why not?
Friday, January 25, 2008
Pitcher Plant
Pitcher Plant Earl Plato
I couldn’t believe it. I had in my hand a T-shirt and embossed on the front was a flowering Pitcher plant. It is the provincial flower of the province of Newfoundland! Wife, Elaine, took a photo of a group of them while on a nature walk in Gros Morne National Park. Yes, I bought the shirt.
My mentor, the late naturalist Bert Miller, had taken us to Wainfleet Bog. I was only a child as he showed us the unusual plant. Not too many years ago former area naturalist, Ernie Giles, lead us to that same area in the marsh. No luck. No Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia purpurea). This curious plant is found in Ontario in bogs, swamps, marshes and wet lands generally. With the systematic draining of Wainfleet marsh over the past decades the plant has not survived unless you know otherwise. Its name comes from the strange shape of the fleshy leaves that are hollowed like narrow, curving pitchers with a large pouring lip that might easily serve as a handle. The Pitcher plant is a meat-eater like the Venus Fly-trap and Sundew plants. The unlucky insect that crawls into the hollow leaves of the Pitcher Plant are unable to extricate themselves, The backward-pointing stiff hairs that line the inside of the leaves prevent any upward movement. The insect eventually dies and falls to the bottom into the water held by the leaves. As time passes the insect is absorbed as food for the Pitcher Plant. I am told the full diet of this plant is varied as its roots find nourishment in the ground. Want a challenge? Explore Wainfleet Marsh and look for meat-eating plants including the Pitcher Plant. Good luck!
***
On our ten day trip through Newfoundland recently we saw several pitcher plants but only one lonely ice berg, 12 moose, several humpback whales, and thousands of puffins. The “Rock” is a great place to visit.
I couldn’t believe it. I had in my hand a T-shirt and embossed on the front was a flowering Pitcher plant. It is the provincial flower of the province of Newfoundland! Wife, Elaine, took a photo of a group of them while on a nature walk in Gros Morne National Park. Yes, I bought the shirt.
My mentor, the late naturalist Bert Miller, had taken us to Wainfleet Bog. I was only a child as he showed us the unusual plant. Not too many years ago former area naturalist, Ernie Giles, lead us to that same area in the marsh. No luck. No Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia purpurea). This curious plant is found in Ontario in bogs, swamps, marshes and wet lands generally. With the systematic draining of Wainfleet marsh over the past decades the plant has not survived unless you know otherwise. Its name comes from the strange shape of the fleshy leaves that are hollowed like narrow, curving pitchers with a large pouring lip that might easily serve as a handle. The Pitcher plant is a meat-eater like the Venus Fly-trap and Sundew plants. The unlucky insect that crawls into the hollow leaves of the Pitcher Plant are unable to extricate themselves, The backward-pointing stiff hairs that line the inside of the leaves prevent any upward movement. The insect eventually dies and falls to the bottom into the water held by the leaves. As time passes the insect is absorbed as food for the Pitcher Plant. I am told the full diet of this plant is varied as its roots find nourishment in the ground. Want a challenge? Explore Wainfleet Marsh and look for meat-eating plants including the Pitcher Plant. Good luck!
***
On our ten day trip through Newfoundland recently we saw several pitcher plants but only one lonely ice berg, 12 moose, several humpback whales, and thousands of puffins. The “Rock” is a great place to visit.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
APRIL 2006
April 06 Earl Plato
“April is the sweetest month for nature lovers.” That’s fellow nature writer Gerry Rising’s headline in a recent Sunday Buffalo News. I tend to agree with him although I prefer Marcy Woods in May. April in Marcy Woods is for the botanist. Gerry lists the plants he sees when many woodland wildflowers rush through their flowering cycle before tree leaves develop to close off the life-enriching sun’s rays. This week in mid-April Norm and myself saw the tiny white flowers of spring Beauties and the green petals of wild leeks popping up.
We saw a few sharp-loped hepaticas with their various flower hues. Just wait for a few weeks. Gerry Rising lists the main flowers he sees in spring. They are the same ones we will see in Marcy Woods as the weeks advance. Botanists would find first spring beauty, leek, skunk cabbage, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lily, sharp-loped hepatica, blood root, toothwort, wild geranium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, columbine, and May apple. That’s what’s in Marcy Woods. Gerry tells us, “Remember wildflowers picked are wildflowers killed.”
***
Yes, like others I picked up garbage locally. Every Saturday could be an Earth Day. During the Week we wanted to increase the educational impact of Earth Day. Our hope is in our young people. It is they who will reap the benefits of an environmentally protected planet. Pick a Saturday this May and do some act of “cleaning up” your community. one beer bottle, pop can, three pieces of paper, and a run away balloon caught on a branch - not much but an attempt to keep Marcy Woods a cleaner place. What can you do to help our natural environment?
***
Good Friday surprises. Ken, Allison and three of the grandchildren along with Peter and Lois Griffith took an afternoon walk in Marcy Woods. Again no Wood frogs but three surprises. First was a towering old beech tree on the Lower Trail. Devoid of life it stood branchless. Up and down its bark were the “horses hooves. Twenty or more of Tinder polypor - horse’s hoof fungi.
Writer’s note: The late Bert Miller took his knife and scraped some of the spores of this bracket fungus onto a flat rock. “It’s like punk,” he said. With a match he showed how it glowed like a punk stick, Note its name “tinder.” Punk sticks were used to set off fire works.
Secondly at the trail where it branches - to the right the cabin to the left the continuance of the trail and then Peter yelled out. “There’s a pileated!” The giant woodpecker flew past us and alighted a few hundred feet to the east. Great sight!
Thirdly - under our feet. As we headed out we gathered at the Kennels stand where notices would be posted. Just in behind the stand were countless white flowers. Could they be Blood roots? They were. These beautiful early beautiful spring flowers were growing in profusion. All these years of walking past this place and not aware of this stand of flowers. You are always surprised in Marcy Woods.
“April is the sweetest month for nature lovers.” That’s fellow nature writer Gerry Rising’s headline in a recent Sunday Buffalo News. I tend to agree with him although I prefer Marcy Woods in May. April in Marcy Woods is for the botanist. Gerry lists the plants he sees when many woodland wildflowers rush through their flowering cycle before tree leaves develop to close off the life-enriching sun’s rays. This week in mid-April Norm and myself saw the tiny white flowers of spring Beauties and the green petals of wild leeks popping up.
We saw a few sharp-loped hepaticas with their various flower hues. Just wait for a few weeks. Gerry Rising lists the main flowers he sees in spring. They are the same ones we will see in Marcy Woods as the weeks advance. Botanists would find first spring beauty, leek, skunk cabbage, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lily, sharp-loped hepatica, blood root, toothwort, wild geranium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, columbine, and May apple. That’s what’s in Marcy Woods. Gerry tells us, “Remember wildflowers picked are wildflowers killed.”
***
Yes, like others I picked up garbage locally. Every Saturday could be an Earth Day. During the Week we wanted to increase the educational impact of Earth Day. Our hope is in our young people. It is they who will reap the benefits of an environmentally protected planet. Pick a Saturday this May and do some act of “cleaning up” your community. one beer bottle, pop can, three pieces of paper, and a run away balloon caught on a branch - not much but an attempt to keep Marcy Woods a cleaner place. What can you do to help our natural environment?
***
Good Friday surprises. Ken, Allison and three of the grandchildren along with Peter and Lois Griffith took an afternoon walk in Marcy Woods. Again no Wood frogs but three surprises. First was a towering old beech tree on the Lower Trail. Devoid of life it stood branchless. Up and down its bark were the “horses hooves. Twenty or more of Tinder polypor - horse’s hoof fungi.
Writer’s note: The late Bert Miller took his knife and scraped some of the spores of this bracket fungus onto a flat rock. “It’s like punk,” he said. With a match he showed how it glowed like a punk stick, Note its name “tinder.” Punk sticks were used to set off fire works.
Secondly at the trail where it branches - to the right the cabin to the left the continuance of the trail and then Peter yelled out. “There’s a pileated!” The giant woodpecker flew past us and alighted a few hundred feet to the east. Great sight!
Thirdly - under our feet. As we headed out we gathered at the Kennels stand where notices would be posted. Just in behind the stand were countless white flowers. Could they be Blood roots? They were. These beautiful early beautiful spring flowers were growing in profusion. All these years of walking past this place and not aware of this stand of flowers. You are always surprised in Marcy Woods.
Spring 2006
Spring 2006 Earl Plato
What a difference a day makes in Marcy Woods. Out there on Thursday, March 30th we walked with daughter Allison and our cameras. Few birds and no frogs at all. No flowers yet. Just a beautiful walk, Next day with Neil circa 10:00 a.m. there was music to my ears. First one quack then another as we approached the Marcy pond. Then a cacacophony of duck-like sounds. Yes! The wood frogs are back. It’s the first I’ve heard in three years in Marcy Woods! Thank you Dino Jr. for allowing us the opportunity. Neil and I at the west gate cleared inside the south post a wider area for the larger wheel chairs to get through. St. Paul High School’s Challenged Class had a difficult time getting one of their wheelchairs through the opening. Then we walked the Lower Trail that was bathed in sunshine. The DiCienzos have cleared the fallen trees from the trail. The walking is easy on the small stone covering, The spicebushes are starting to bud. In a few weeks their small yellow flowers will appear. Then on the trail as we headed south was a Mourning cloak butterfly. Not one but two. These are our earliest butterflies. Wait! There on our right a smaller butterfly alighted on the ground. Orange and black spots - I said it’s either a Question Mark or a Comma butterfly. Back home in my guide I decided that because of its smaller size it was a Comma. They too are found here in spring time. No ducks in the pond this day as there were yesterday but a familiar quacking sound was heard. Neil and I were in the land of the Wood frogs. Stop! Listen! One, two, five, ten, twenty perhaps thirty of these little guys letting their mates know it was spring. Have you ever seen a Wood frog? Let me describe one for you.
/Think small - as small as 13/4” that’s 3.5 cm. Marcy’s Woods Wood frogs are this small. In other parts of Ontario they can be twice as large. They can be pink, tan or dark brown. Marcy Wood frogs are mostly dark brown. They all have a prominent dark mask that ends abruptly behind the eardrum. The ones I have observed have a white belly. The little toes are not fully webbed. Why? I don’t know. Their voice is a distinct raspy quack. Ger 30 or 40 of them together in full voice and you won’t forget their sounds. Timing is important. One year I waited just a few days too long and they were gone. The females mate and in a few days they lay their fertilized eggs. Then they are gone. They all disappear into the surrounding wetlands. This year I hopefully will monitor the masked little frogs more closely.
What a difference a day makes in Marcy Woods. Out there on Thursday, March 30th we walked with daughter Allison and our cameras. Few birds and no frogs at all. No flowers yet. Just a beautiful walk, Next day with Neil circa 10:00 a.m. there was music to my ears. First one quack then another as we approached the Marcy pond. Then a cacacophony of duck-like sounds. Yes! The wood frogs are back. It’s the first I’ve heard in three years in Marcy Woods! Thank you Dino Jr. for allowing us the opportunity. Neil and I at the west gate cleared inside the south post a wider area for the larger wheel chairs to get through. St. Paul High School’s Challenged Class had a difficult time getting one of their wheelchairs through the opening. Then we walked the Lower Trail that was bathed in sunshine. The DiCienzos have cleared the fallen trees from the trail. The walking is easy on the small stone covering, The spicebushes are starting to bud. In a few weeks their small yellow flowers will appear. Then on the trail as we headed south was a Mourning cloak butterfly. Not one but two. These are our earliest butterflies. Wait! There on our right a smaller butterfly alighted on the ground. Orange and black spots - I said it’s either a Question Mark or a Comma butterfly. Back home in my guide I decided that because of its smaller size it was a Comma. They too are found here in spring time. No ducks in the pond this day as there were yesterday but a familiar quacking sound was heard. Neil and I were in the land of the Wood frogs. Stop! Listen! One, two, five, ten, twenty perhaps thirty of these little guys letting their mates know it was spring. Have you ever seen a Wood frog? Let me describe one for you.
/Think small - as small as 13/4” that’s 3.5 cm. Marcy’s Woods Wood frogs are this small. In other parts of Ontario they can be twice as large. They can be pink, tan or dark brown. Marcy Wood frogs are mostly dark brown. They all have a prominent dark mask that ends abruptly behind the eardrum. The ones I have observed have a white belly. The little toes are not fully webbed. Why? I don’t know. Their voice is a distinct raspy quack. Ger 30 or 40 of them together in full voice and you won’t forget their sounds. Timing is important. One year I waited just a few days too long and they were gone. The females mate and in a few days they lay their fertilized eggs. Then they are gone. They all disappear into the surrounding wetlands. This year I hopefully will monitor the masked little frogs more closely.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Winter Ducks
Ducks - It’s Winter Time Earl Plato
It was almost New Year. Elaine and I had not done one of our Niagara Duck Drives. Today, December 28th we started out from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. With bird glasses and camera we drove on an overcast day. The Niagara was glassy and peaceful. Canada geese and mallards in Fort Erie/ Then we saw them near Black Creek. It was not what I call a ‘raft” but a great multitude of ducks with swans and Canada geese mingled in. Thousands - no exaggeration. Canvas backs. common mergansers, buffleheads, scaups and did I see a harlequin duck? Elaine says “no.”Gulls at Niagara and Sir Adam Beck. Plenty of ring-bills, black backs and others. On to Niagara-on-the-Lake. River waters unusually calm. Car windows down. Would we hear the piercing call of the Long tails (Old Squaws)? Not a sound - not one in sight! More ducks? Yes. Last year traveling the Niagara parkway heading north we came upon an impressive sight. I photographed a raft of canvasbacks. We estimated at least 500 stretching in a long line on the edge of our Canadian shore line. There interspersed in smaller numbers in that raft were other ducks, the redhead. The redhead is a first-cousin to the canvasback. The redhead is an exceptional diver and flyer we are told. Short legs set to the rear of its body and its webbed feet mean that it is somewhat ungainly on land but in water or in air it’s a speedster. Why the Niagara? Redheads feed by diving as deep as 4 metres (14 feet). This capacity for diving depths allows it to fill its diet with 90% aquatic plant material. The Niagara river shoreland has an abundance of water plant food. The redhead consumes more such plant material well above the average for ducks. My question: Why don’t we see more redheads on the Niagara? In the air the redhead can reach speeds in excess of 80 kilometres per hour. That’s over 50 miles an hour! So? Listen, it’s an obvious asset for a duck that migrates such distances. “Survival of the faster,” I say. Hunters have to react in an instance. Then I recalled some of these colourful birds taking off. Know what I mean? On takeoffs they seem to literally run across the water surface for several metres before gaining the necessary momentum to take flight. Susceptible to the hunter’s gun? I would say so. Travel the Niagara and look and listen for our wintering ducks.
It was almost New Year. Elaine and I had not done one of our Niagara Duck Drives. Today, December 28th we started out from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. With bird glasses and camera we drove on an overcast day. The Niagara was glassy and peaceful. Canada geese and mallards in Fort Erie/ Then we saw them near Black Creek. It was not what I call a ‘raft” but a great multitude of ducks with swans and Canada geese mingled in. Thousands - no exaggeration. Canvas backs. common mergansers, buffleheads, scaups and did I see a harlequin duck? Elaine says “no.”Gulls at Niagara and Sir Adam Beck. Plenty of ring-bills, black backs and others. On to Niagara-on-the-Lake. River waters unusually calm. Car windows down. Would we hear the piercing call of the Long tails (Old Squaws)? Not a sound - not one in sight! More ducks? Yes. Last year traveling the Niagara parkway heading north we came upon an impressive sight. I photographed a raft of canvasbacks. We estimated at least 500 stretching in a long line on the edge of our Canadian shore line. There interspersed in smaller numbers in that raft were other ducks, the redhead. The redhead is a first-cousin to the canvasback. The redhead is an exceptional diver and flyer we are told. Short legs set to the rear of its body and its webbed feet mean that it is somewhat ungainly on land but in water or in air it’s a speedster. Why the Niagara? Redheads feed by diving as deep as 4 metres (14 feet). This capacity for diving depths allows it to fill its diet with 90% aquatic plant material. The Niagara river shoreland has an abundance of water plant food. The redhead consumes more such plant material well above the average for ducks. My question: Why don’t we see more redheads on the Niagara? In the air the redhead can reach speeds in excess of 80 kilometres per hour. That’s over 50 miles an hour! So? Listen, it’s an obvious asset for a duck that migrates such distances. “Survival of the faster,” I say. Hunters have to react in an instance. Then I recalled some of these colourful birds taking off. Know what I mean? On takeoffs they seem to literally run across the water surface for several metres before gaining the necessary momentum to take flight. Susceptible to the hunter’s gun? I would say so. Travel the Niagara and look and listen for our wintering ducks.
Alvars?
Alvar? Earl Plato
Blue Racer? Do you know what I mean? We were headed by ferry for Pelee Island this late August day. The water was placid and the day perfect as we crossed from Leamington. We arrived mid morning. “Where’s the Blue runner?” I asked our tram driver. “Ran over one last week. They sun themselves on the road. They’re a long snake,” was her reply.
In the past two years on the island over fifty of this endangered species, the Blue racer, has been road kill. The estimate given to us was that less than 300 of this snake 3 feet to 6 feet still existed. Six feet! Yes. The dead one exhibited in the island museum was that long! Blue racers are exceptionally fast and are seldom seen by humans except on island roads sunning themselves. They are non poisonous. We traversed the island across its approximately five mile width. No luck only a pheasant farm with 10,000 young birds. I asked at at the only outlets for a Blue racer shirt. I ended up with a Pelee Island map shirt. Prickly Pear cactus, Giant swallowtail, Yellow-breasted chat, Eastern red cedar and other familiar nature landmarks embossed on the shirt but no Blue racer. Return again to Pelee Island for a more thorough search? Could be.
***
Go to Pelee Island if you want to see one big Alvar. In Fort Erie off the south end of Matthew’s Road is the small Marcy Alvar. Rob Eberly of the Bert Miller Nature Club introduced me to this nature concept - the Alvar. What is it?
We read that the Stone Road Alvar on the south-east corner of Pelee island “is perhaps Pelee island’s most unique nature preserve.” We travelled down the Canal Stone Road via an open tram. Talk about corduroy roads - what a teeth rattling ride through the former marsh area. Reclaimed marsh lands - that’s another story worth telling.
At the end of the road was F.O.N. (Federation of Ontario Naturalists) territory - Alvar country!
An alvar is an area where the flat limestone rock is close to the surface.
To you knowing naturalists the alvar area can only support the hardiest of plants hence some rare vegetation occurs. Note: This type of habitat is very rare in Canada. Yes, the Marcy property has an alvar.
Blue Racer? Do you know what I mean? We were headed by ferry for Pelee Island this late August day. The water was placid and the day perfect as we crossed from Leamington. We arrived mid morning. “Where’s the Blue runner?” I asked our tram driver. “Ran over one last week. They sun themselves on the road. They’re a long snake,” was her reply.
In the past two years on the island over fifty of this endangered species, the Blue racer, has been road kill. The estimate given to us was that less than 300 of this snake 3 feet to 6 feet still existed. Six feet! Yes. The dead one exhibited in the island museum was that long! Blue racers are exceptionally fast and are seldom seen by humans except on island roads sunning themselves. They are non poisonous. We traversed the island across its approximately five mile width. No luck only a pheasant farm with 10,000 young birds. I asked at at the only outlets for a Blue racer shirt. I ended up with a Pelee Island map shirt. Prickly Pear cactus, Giant swallowtail, Yellow-breasted chat, Eastern red cedar and other familiar nature landmarks embossed on the shirt but no Blue racer. Return again to Pelee Island for a more thorough search? Could be.
***
Go to Pelee Island if you want to see one big Alvar. In Fort Erie off the south end of Matthew’s Road is the small Marcy Alvar. Rob Eberly of the Bert Miller Nature Club introduced me to this nature concept - the Alvar. What is it?
We read that the Stone Road Alvar on the south-east corner of Pelee island “is perhaps Pelee island’s most unique nature preserve.” We travelled down the Canal Stone Road via an open tram. Talk about corduroy roads - what a teeth rattling ride through the former marsh area. Reclaimed marsh lands - that’s another story worth telling.
At the end of the road was F.O.N. (Federation of Ontario Naturalists) territory - Alvar country!
An alvar is an area where the flat limestone rock is close to the surface.
To you knowing naturalists the alvar area can only support the hardiest of plants hence some rare vegetation occurs. Note: This type of habitat is very rare in Canada. Yes, the Marcy property has an alvar.
Accipiters
Accipiters Anyone? Earl Plato
When have you seen your last accipiter? They’re here. They are mainly bird hunting hawks as are our Peregrine falcons. There are three accipiter species in Ontario. The smallest is the Sharp-shinned.
They are great flyers as they can emerge from dense cover and hit one of the songbirds at your feeder. I grew up with the Cooper’s Hawk, the next largest one of the accipiters. We called them “Chicken” hawks. They would circle over our fenced in chicken yard waiting for an opportunity to strike. I had a great view of one over Willoughby Marsh. This hawk normally inhabits the dense coniferous forests of Northern Ontario. However, this report in the Standard a few years back was entitled “Nesting Hawks On The Attack. Before Joan Epps knew what hit her she was on the ground bleeding. The 75 year old Pelham saw an awesome bird near her. Blood trickled from three talon marks in the back of her head.” A week later a 13 year old girl was attacked by a big bird in the same general area. What was it? I was told firstly that it was a Goshawk but was told by a birder that it was actually a Red-shouldered hawk who was fiercely defending her nesting area. However, many nature photographers have been attacked by Goshawks in more northern Ontario. At Point Abino two winters ago we helped rescue what we thought was an injured Goshawk. We took it to the Owl Rehabilitation Centre in Vineland only to find out that it was a large Red-tailed hawk and sadly too badly injured for it to recover. Goshawks in Niagara? I don’t think so. Have you seen any accipiters lately?
***
Bud and I returned to Fox Trot Trail at DiCienzo’s Marcy Woods last week. The old path was still discernible at first. I had no sooner told him about a small dumping area on our right than there were corrugated sheets and eaves troughs. Sad. Ahead was a jumbled mess of fallen trees and tangled underbrush. No path. Bud headed left to higher ground while I looked for the old trail. Rough going for me as I walked under nd over fallen trees. I had told Bud that there was a pond ahead. He called out, “There’s the pond!” I made my way to his location. The wild raspberry vine barbs impeded me but eventually I reached Bud. We were at the pond site. Old memories I recalled again. As we headed back using Bud’s higher way I saw a good treed r with a huge root ball. The furled bark looked like that of a Tulp tree I stooped to pick up a fallen leaf. It was a Tulip tree leaf. Too bad. I will return. Dino DiCenzo Jr. e-mailed me and said, “Spring will be here before you know it so let’s get ready for some tours.” I can’t wait.
v
When have you seen your last accipiter? They’re here. They are mainly bird hunting hawks as are our Peregrine falcons. There are three accipiter species in Ontario. The smallest is the Sharp-shinned.
They are great flyers as they can emerge from dense cover and hit one of the songbirds at your feeder. I grew up with the Cooper’s Hawk, the next largest one of the accipiters. We called them “Chicken” hawks. They would circle over our fenced in chicken yard waiting for an opportunity to strike. I had a great view of one over Willoughby Marsh. This hawk normally inhabits the dense coniferous forests of Northern Ontario. However, this report in the Standard a few years back was entitled “Nesting Hawks On The Attack. Before Joan Epps knew what hit her she was on the ground bleeding. The 75 year old Pelham saw an awesome bird near her. Blood trickled from three talon marks in the back of her head.” A week later a 13 year old girl was attacked by a big bird in the same general area. What was it? I was told firstly that it was a Goshawk but was told by a birder that it was actually a Red-shouldered hawk who was fiercely defending her nesting area. However, many nature photographers have been attacked by Goshawks in more northern Ontario. At Point Abino two winters ago we helped rescue what we thought was an injured Goshawk. We took it to the Owl Rehabilitation Centre in Vineland only to find out that it was a large Red-tailed hawk and sadly too badly injured for it to recover. Goshawks in Niagara? I don’t think so. Have you seen any accipiters lately?
***
Bud and I returned to Fox Trot Trail at DiCienzo’s Marcy Woods last week. The old path was still discernible at first. I had no sooner told him about a small dumping area on our right than there were corrugated sheets and eaves troughs. Sad. Ahead was a jumbled mess of fallen trees and tangled underbrush. No path. Bud headed left to higher ground while I looked for the old trail. Rough going for me as I walked under nd over fallen trees. I had told Bud that there was a pond ahead. He called out, “There’s the pond!” I made my way to his location. The wild raspberry vine barbs impeded me but eventually I reached Bud. We were at the pond site. Old memories I recalled again. As we headed back using Bud’s higher way I saw a good treed r with a huge root ball. The furled bark looked like that of a Tulp tree I stooped to pick up a fallen leaf. It was a Tulip tree leaf. Too bad. I will return. Dino DiCenzo Jr. e-mailed me and said, “Spring will be here before you know it so let’s get ready for some tours.” I can’t wait.
v
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Face to Face
Face to Face!
We were in York, England in November of 1973. It was a typical English late Fall setting - cold, clammy weather and ‘pea soup’ fog. We were following the ‘Ghost Walk’ famous to York. We had just passed the grave yard of St/ Elizabeth church when it appeared. Soaring out from our right it glided past us - a ghostly apparition. Not so. It was a huge Barn Owl clothed in its white feathers. A thrill indeed. I had met Barn Owls before. Let me share this boyhood incident. As a five year old I was actively curious. With father at work and my two older brothers at school I told my busy mother that I was playing outside. I hear strange sounds in our old barn. . Just inside was a rung ladder leading up into the mow. . I started to ascend the rungs. I Something was in the mow. What was it? I Then just above me came a series of clicks. could hear it moving about. Then a loud hissing as my head rose above the last rung. There it was wings widespread as it let out an unearthly scream. I started quickly down the ladder. In my fright I fell back down and landed on the old hay bales. The wind was knocked out of me. Recovering I screamed. Mother heard and older brother arrived. I was alive! Up above a protective mother Barn owl was snapping its bill. Later Dad climbed up another way. Yes, a barn owl and two young ones. We left them alne and in a few weeks left. However, I had a lasting image
***
Audubon guide says, “This nocturnal ghost of a bird frequents such places as church belfries, deserted buildings and hollow trees.
We were in York, England in November of 1973. It was a typical English late Fall setting - cold, clammy weather and ‘pea soup’ fog. We were following the ‘Ghost Walk’ famous to York. We had just passed the grave yard of St/ Elizabeth church when it appeared. Soaring out from our right it glided past us - a ghostly apparition. Not so. It was a huge Barn Owl clothed in its white feathers. A thrill indeed. I had met Barn Owls before. Let me share this boyhood incident. As a five year old I was actively curious. With father at work and my two older brothers at school I told my busy mother that I was playing outside. I hear strange sounds in our old barn. . Just inside was a rung ladder leading up into the mow. . I started to ascend the rungs. I Something was in the mow. What was it? I Then just above me came a series of clicks. could hear it moving about. Then a loud hissing as my head rose above the last rung. There it was wings widespread as it let out an unearthly scream. I started quickly down the ladder. In my fright I fell back down and landed on the old hay bales. The wind was knocked out of me. Recovering I screamed. Mother heard and older brother arrived. I was alive! Up above a protective mother Barn owl was snapping its bill. Later Dad climbed up another way. Yes, a barn owl and two young ones. We left them alne and in a few weeks left. However, I had a lasting image
***
Audubon guide says, “This nocturnal ghost of a bird frequents such places as church belfries, deserted buildings and hollow trees.
nature called
Fall Again Earl Plato
When my birthday comes around in late October I again realize that nothing creeps up silently on anything in the woods these Fall days. The carpet of fallen leaves is daily becoming more crisp and dry. It provides an early warning sign for wildlife. Nature writer Ed Teale made it clear for me. “No fox can stalk its prey noiselessly now. Even a chipmunk broadcasts its every move as it scrambles over the leaf covered woodland floor. ... so loud is our own progress that we seem as giants ‘scuffing’ through the leaves. The uproar we produce drowns out our voices. We have to stand still when we want to hear each other speak.” Get the picture? Don’t get me wrong. I love Fall.
Game birds, pheasants, grouse et al, have a special stake in the dryness
of leaf cover in the autumn woods. Remember when the leaves are wet from rain they are soggy and silent underfoot. That’s when pheasants and grouse are more likely to be taken unawares. For us non-hunters it’s a good time during rainy weather to get a glimpse of those usually hidden birds and forest animals in Niagara.
***
Ross Bearss, noted tree and plant man of Ridgeway, called a few years ago. “Earl, there’s some strange looking mushrooms down in the pine woods. They have reddish -orange caps.” We walked Ross’s trails and there nestled in among Scotch pines was a large growth of these attractive mushrooms. We counted about twenty in a circle of ten feet or so. I knew what they were, Fly agaric. Their scientific name is Amanita muscaria. Amanita? That’s right. When you see that name you know that you have a deadly poisonous mushroom even if you ingest a small part. The drawing I made has a skull and crossbones for obvious reasons.
Most fungi (mushrooms and toadstools) are harmless if eaten. To those of us who like steak and mushrooms will testify that those field white capped mushrooms with the pink gills are delicious. Boletes and chanterelles are especially pleasing to mushroom connoisseurs. Just remember that eating wild mushrooms is not to be taken lightly.
When my birthday comes around in late October I again realize that nothing creeps up silently on anything in the woods these Fall days. The carpet of fallen leaves is daily becoming more crisp and dry. It provides an early warning sign for wildlife. Nature writer Ed Teale made it clear for me. “No fox can stalk its prey noiselessly now. Even a chipmunk broadcasts its every move as it scrambles over the leaf covered woodland floor. ... so loud is our own progress that we seem as giants ‘scuffing’ through the leaves. The uproar we produce drowns out our voices. We have to stand still when we want to hear each other speak.” Get the picture? Don’t get me wrong. I love Fall.
Game birds, pheasants, grouse et al, have a special stake in the dryness
of leaf cover in the autumn woods. Remember when the leaves are wet from rain they are soggy and silent underfoot. That’s when pheasants and grouse are more likely to be taken unawares. For us non-hunters it’s a good time during rainy weather to get a glimpse of those usually hidden birds and forest animals in Niagara.
***
Ross Bearss, noted tree and plant man of Ridgeway, called a few years ago. “Earl, there’s some strange looking mushrooms down in the pine woods. They have reddish -orange caps.” We walked Ross’s trails and there nestled in among Scotch pines was a large growth of these attractive mushrooms. We counted about twenty in a circle of ten feet or so. I knew what they were, Fly agaric. Their scientific name is Amanita muscaria. Amanita? That’s right. When you see that name you know that you have a deadly poisonous mushroom even if you ingest a small part. The drawing I made has a skull and crossbones for obvious reasons.
Most fungi (mushrooms and toadstools) are harmless if eaten. To those of us who like steak and mushrooms will testify that those field white capped mushrooms with the pink gills are delicious. Boletes and chanterelles are especially pleasing to mushroom connoisseurs. Just remember that eating wild mushrooms is not to be taken lightly.
Snakes
Not So! Earl Plato
A snake is a snake is a snake! Not so to me and callers like Roy Healey of Niagara Falls. Roy came across two snakes resting near a water site. These snakes frequently bask on rocks as these two did. Northern water snake? We think so.
On our recent trip to Pelee Island we learned that tbere were at least two endangered snake species in Ontario. They were the Blue racer and yes, the Northern water snake. ‘Lake Erie water snake’ was another name for the species. Both Roy and I had seen the water snake in our youths. I vividly remember this snake coming across the pond toward our raft. Cousin Sam called out “Water moccasin!” Not so. It was a Northern water snake. They are rare around here now. He told me that he might try to move them to a safer location than the well-walked present location.
Roy described the snakes as having a diameter of two or more inches. Watersnakes do get quite thick. Research says that they seldom exceed 1.5 metres in length. That’s still a long snake. Roy’s snakes weren’t that long. Colours range from pale gray or brown with blotches to a dark slate-gray or black. Roy’s snakes were of a darker hue as were the one’s I recall as a boy. They are not a pretty looking snake but - it normally tries to flee but will flatten its body when trapped. The late Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller, told me as child to avoid any snake that is aggressive. Yes, the water snake if threatened will strike out repeatedly. Sorry, but your wounds will bleed profusely because of an anticoagulant in its saliva. Note: They are non-venomous. Don’t kill them! This is a beneficial snake and should be protected. Roy wear gloves. Good luck! . ***
Checked out the Fort Erie Friendship Trail by car today. What? I stopped at various intersections and walked a short distance each time. Take a nature walk someday on this great walkway. How many different plants did you see? How many bird species? Become a naturalist.
A snake is a snake is a snake! Not so to me and callers like Roy Healey of Niagara Falls. Roy came across two snakes resting near a water site. These snakes frequently bask on rocks as these two did. Northern water snake? We think so.
On our recent trip to Pelee Island we learned that tbere were at least two endangered snake species in Ontario. They were the Blue racer and yes, the Northern water snake. ‘Lake Erie water snake’ was another name for the species. Both Roy and I had seen the water snake in our youths. I vividly remember this snake coming across the pond toward our raft. Cousin Sam called out “Water moccasin!” Not so. It was a Northern water snake. They are rare around here now. He told me that he might try to move them to a safer location than the well-walked present location.
Roy described the snakes as having a diameter of two or more inches. Watersnakes do get quite thick. Research says that they seldom exceed 1.5 metres in length. That’s still a long snake. Roy’s snakes weren’t that long. Colours range from pale gray or brown with blotches to a dark slate-gray or black. Roy’s snakes were of a darker hue as were the one’s I recall as a boy. They are not a pretty looking snake but - it normally tries to flee but will flatten its body when trapped. The late Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller, told me as child to avoid any snake that is aggressive. Yes, the water snake if threatened will strike out repeatedly. Sorry, but your wounds will bleed profusely because of an anticoagulant in its saliva. Note: They are non-venomous. Don’t kill them! This is a beneficial snake and should be protected. Roy wear gloves. Good luck! . ***
Checked out the Fort Erie Friendship Trail by car today. What? I stopped at various intersections and walked a short distance each time. Take a nature walk someday on this great walkway. How many different plants did you see? How many bird species? Become a naturalist.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Fungi Anyone?
Fungi Anyone? Earl Plato
Albertine Stranges knows what to say. Her vivid description of a giant fungus at the front of her Parkway home near Chippawa was too much to resist. Armed with two mushroom guides and her description I headed out on this mid-September day.
“Pie shape” was one of her descriptions. Located near the base of a pine tree it was an amazing sight. As Albertine described over the phone this huge circular growth had a double ring. The colour was a velvety brown if you can picture that. Peterson’s guide says , “very large, dingy brown, rounded to a flat cap.” What is this fungus? My guess is that it’s
a COMMANDER. They grow near coniferous trees. This one fits that description. Peterson says that the flat cap can be up to 40 cm across!
He adds it “forma a double ring.” This one does. Albertine was curious about the bumps that rose on its surface. Peterson said, ... the thick cap can be flat or humped.” This one had several bumps in the centre. Albertine will watch the progress of these ‘bumps’ and give me a call.
The Genus of this fungus is Catathelasma. Look it up. Catathelasma imperiale known as the ‘Commander.’
I lay on the ground trying to see its gills but I did not want to damage its structure. Peterson says - “Its edible.” No thanks this time.
***
Brag time. Our two Butterfly bushes with their violet-hued blooms were magnificent this year/ On my wall hangs the photo of a Silver-spangled fritillary resting on one of the bushes out front of my little retirement home. Guess what? Sure we have had Monarchs but then came a Tiger swallowtail. I zoomed in and captured its glory. Brag time Plato. Then this week a pair of Giant Swallowtails arrived. I took at least six shots and ONE turned out. Love those posing butterflies. Last night Elaine found a Monarch caterpillar nestled on a Milkweed plant on Nigh Road. She delivered it to son-in-law Ken for his classroom. What is as beautiful as a Monarch butterfly chrysalis? Jade-green studded with glistening gold it’s plump and rounded. It appears lidded. From it emerges the adult Monarch butterfly. Amazing work of the Creator as it is destined for a 2,000 mile trip to Southern Mexico.
Albertine Stranges knows what to say. Her vivid description of a giant fungus at the front of her Parkway home near Chippawa was too much to resist. Armed with two mushroom guides and her description I headed out on this mid-September day.
“Pie shape” was one of her descriptions. Located near the base of a pine tree it was an amazing sight. As Albertine described over the phone this huge circular growth had a double ring. The colour was a velvety brown if you can picture that. Peterson’s guide says , “very large, dingy brown, rounded to a flat cap.” What is this fungus? My guess is that it’s
a COMMANDER. They grow near coniferous trees. This one fits that description. Peterson says that the flat cap can be up to 40 cm across!
He adds it “forma a double ring.” This one does. Albertine was curious about the bumps that rose on its surface. Peterson said, ... the thick cap can be flat or humped.” This one had several bumps in the centre. Albertine will watch the progress of these ‘bumps’ and give me a call.
The Genus of this fungus is Catathelasma. Look it up. Catathelasma imperiale known as the ‘Commander.’
I lay on the ground trying to see its gills but I did not want to damage its structure. Peterson says - “Its edible.” No thanks this time.
***
Brag time. Our two Butterfly bushes with their violet-hued blooms were magnificent this year/ On my wall hangs the photo of a Silver-spangled fritillary resting on one of the bushes out front of my little retirement home. Guess what? Sure we have had Monarchs but then came a Tiger swallowtail. I zoomed in and captured its glory. Brag time Plato. Then this week a pair of Giant Swallowtails arrived. I took at least six shots and ONE turned out. Love those posing butterflies. Last night Elaine found a Monarch caterpillar nestled on a Milkweed plant on Nigh Road. She delivered it to son-in-law Ken for his classroom. What is as beautiful as a Monarch butterfly chrysalis? Jade-green studded with glistening gold it’s plump and rounded. It appears lidded. From it emerges the adult Monarch butterfly. Amazing work of the Creator as it is destined for a 2,000 mile trip to Southern Mexico.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
What;s In A Name
What’s in a name Earl Plato
I pulled over to the side of #3 Highway just east of Cherry Hill Golf Course. I just wanted a sample of a roadside weed and I did. I now had in my possession the bright yellow petalled common Saint-John’s-wort plant.
Naturalized from Europe this perennial wild flower has extended its range as far north as Newfoundland and British Columbia and as far south as the limits of United States.
No “Purple plague” this plant. No “Yellow plague” even for this plant with its bright golden petals. Historically in those English wastelands where it thrived among the early Saxons it was an ancient and important herb. It was employed for centuries for curing wounds. One of its common English names is “touch-and-heal.” We read that during mediaeval times it was gathered and hung on doors and windows to ward off evil spirits. Elaine didn’t appreciate me for bringing another weed home even with a name Saint John. Into the garbage can it went after my examination. Its name comes from an old belief in England that it begins to bloom on June 24, the day of St. John Divine. To this day herbalists promote the capabilities of this plant although there is not scientific evidence to support all its claims.
I pulled over to the side of #3 Highway just east of Cherry Hill Golf Course. I just wanted a sample of a roadside weed and I did. I now had in my possession the bright yellow petalled common Saint-John’s-wort plant.
Naturalized from Europe this perennial wild flower has extended its range as far north as Newfoundland and British Columbia and as far south as the limits of United States.
No “Purple plague” this plant. No “Yellow plague” even for this plant with its bright golden petals. Historically in those English wastelands where it thrived among the early Saxons it was an ancient and important herb. It was employed for centuries for curing wounds. One of its common English names is “touch-and-heal.” We read that during mediaeval times it was gathered and hung on doors and windows to ward off evil spirits. Elaine didn’t appreciate me for bringing another weed home even with a name Saint John. Into the garbage can it went after my examination. Its name comes from an old belief in England that it begins to bloom on June 24, the day of St. John Divine. To this day herbalists promote the capabilities of this plant although there is not scientific evidence to support all its claims.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Invasion!
The Invader! Earl Plato
It was the Reenactment of the 1814 Siege at Fort Erie this past Saturday, August 9. The invasion of Upper Canada (Ontario) by the Americans was over. In a few short years the ruins of old Fort Erie would be covered with weedy growth. No more invasions back then until the Fenian invasion of 1866. Then many decades passed until another invader arrived in Fort Erie and creeped westward and yes, northwards into Niagara Falls! The “Purple Invader” is real and its growing at a great rate here in the Town. Drive Albany Road to Dominion Road and head for Ridgeway. On both sides of the highway you see the Purple loosestrife taking over. Drive Nigh Road west from Rosehill Road and even entire fields are a purple hue. Comments I have heard, “It is so attractive with its purple flowers;” “I like it. What’s the problem?”
First of all Purple loosestrife is an alien plant. It came from Europe in the 1800’s. It is not indigenous to North America. “So!” Let’s look at this plant more closely.
It has a ridged, square stem. A single plant can produce as many as thirty stems growing from a central, woody root mass. The ones I see here in the Ridgeway area are more than a metre high. Some even reach two metres in height! The flowers are pink-purple in colour and are tightly clustered in a long spike. 30 stems on each Purple loosestrife plant! Each stem produces tens of thousand seeds. These seeds are small, light and are easily dispersed by the wind.
Get the picture? I have monitored a wetland area on Gorham Road in Ridgeway for many years and the plant has continued to grow and expand westwards. The “purple invasion” is relentless.
I went on the Internet and learned new names for this plant. Here are three - “Beautiful killer;” “Marsh monster;” and “Exotic invader.”
Purple loosestrife dominates and outcompetes native vegetation such as the valuable cattails. The results are solid stands of Purple loosestrife that are apparently useless to our wildlife. Once established it is difficult to eradicate.
On my observation drives in August I found Point Abino Road from Erie road to Netherby Road I thought was free from the “purple monster.” Not so, for near Nigh Road on the east side there were two new stands of Purple loosestrife. I will check these two sites next year.
Do you have Purple loosestrife growing near you? Watch it spread these next few years. Sprays are ineffective but beetles from Europe that feed exclusively on the “Purple plague” may be the answer!
It was the Reenactment of the 1814 Siege at Fort Erie this past Saturday, August 9. The invasion of Upper Canada (Ontario) by the Americans was over. In a few short years the ruins of old Fort Erie would be covered with weedy growth. No more invasions back then until the Fenian invasion of 1866. Then many decades passed until another invader arrived in Fort Erie and creeped westward and yes, northwards into Niagara Falls! The “Purple Invader” is real and its growing at a great rate here in the Town. Drive Albany Road to Dominion Road and head for Ridgeway. On both sides of the highway you see the Purple loosestrife taking over. Drive Nigh Road west from Rosehill Road and even entire fields are a purple hue. Comments I have heard, “It is so attractive with its purple flowers;” “I like it. What’s the problem?”
First of all Purple loosestrife is an alien plant. It came from Europe in the 1800’s. It is not indigenous to North America. “So!” Let’s look at this plant more closely.
It has a ridged, square stem. A single plant can produce as many as thirty stems growing from a central, woody root mass. The ones I see here in the Ridgeway area are more than a metre high. Some even reach two metres in height! The flowers are pink-purple in colour and are tightly clustered in a long spike. 30 stems on each Purple loosestrife plant! Each stem produces tens of thousand seeds. These seeds are small, light and are easily dispersed by the wind.
Get the picture? I have monitored a wetland area on Gorham Road in Ridgeway for many years and the plant has continued to grow and expand westwards. The “purple invasion” is relentless.
I went on the Internet and learned new names for this plant. Here are three - “Beautiful killer;” “Marsh monster;” and “Exotic invader.”
Purple loosestrife dominates and outcompetes native vegetation such as the valuable cattails. The results are solid stands of Purple loosestrife that are apparently useless to our wildlife. Once established it is difficult to eradicate.
On my observation drives in August I found Point Abino Road from Erie road to Netherby Road I thought was free from the “purple monster.” Not so, for near Nigh Road on the east side there were two new stands of Purple loosestrife. I will check these two sites next year.
Do you have Purple loosestrife growing near you? Watch it spread these next few years. Sprays are ineffective but beetles from Europe that feed exclusively on the “Purple plague” may be the answer!
On My Shelf Now
It’s On My Shelf Earl Plato
Finally! On the last day of July, 2003 wife, Elaine, accomplished it. For several years I have looked for a carving of the Old Squaw duck now called Long-Tail. More than once at Log Cabin Antiques in Fonthill I looked. Yes, we finally saw one. Too much money for the unique carving? I guess so for I didn’t buy it. I returned three days later. You know the scenario - ‘Old Squaw’ had been sold. That was 1998! We have asked local woodcarvers about the duck. “Too risky to do with the extremely long tail.” No luck here at Niagara Falls with would-be carvers or up in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Years passed. However, each year in January and February we saw and heard the Old Squaws during their mating time at Niagara-on-the-Lake. There up to 200 of these high Arctic ducks gathered on the Niagara River across from Fort Niagara. This year we counted only about sixty. I set up my bird scope and viewed these good-looking ducks. I never tire of seeing these Long-Taileds.
Now thanks to Elaine I can view my beautiful carving on this August 1st day. At a Niagara-on-the Lake store Elaine and two of my daughters spied the carving. Elaine asked, “Is that an Old Squaw?” The owner unlocked the cabinet. Inscribed on the base - “Old Squaw.” “I’ll take it!” It’s a beautiful limited edition and I am happy.
Like most other ducks Long-tails have distinctive male and female plumages. Of course my carving is that of the male with winter plumage. In my Ducks of Canada reference book I read the following about this duck: “The result is one of the most complex series of plumage patterns to be found in any bird.” Just another reason to love Old Squaw.
My carving captures this nicely proportioned duck with its neatly rounded head. It has a small bill and a short neck. My male model has the long extended tail feathers hence the name, Long-tail. Sorry, no grandchildren will handle Earl’s prize. Look but not touch, eh.
Collectors - never give up looking. You never know.
Finally! On the last day of July, 2003 wife, Elaine, accomplished it. For several years I have looked for a carving of the Old Squaw duck now called Long-Tail. More than once at Log Cabin Antiques in Fonthill I looked. Yes, we finally saw one. Too much money for the unique carving? I guess so for I didn’t buy it. I returned three days later. You know the scenario - ‘Old Squaw’ had been sold. That was 1998! We have asked local woodcarvers about the duck. “Too risky to do with the extremely long tail.” No luck here at Niagara Falls with would-be carvers or up in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Years passed. However, each year in January and February we saw and heard the Old Squaws during their mating time at Niagara-on-the-Lake. There up to 200 of these high Arctic ducks gathered on the Niagara River across from Fort Niagara. This year we counted only about sixty. I set up my bird scope and viewed these good-looking ducks. I never tire of seeing these Long-Taileds.
Now thanks to Elaine I can view my beautiful carving on this August 1st day. At a Niagara-on-the Lake store Elaine and two of my daughters spied the carving. Elaine asked, “Is that an Old Squaw?” The owner unlocked the cabinet. Inscribed on the base - “Old Squaw.” “I’ll take it!” It’s a beautiful limited edition and I am happy.
Like most other ducks Long-tails have distinctive male and female plumages. Of course my carving is that of the male with winter plumage. In my Ducks of Canada reference book I read the following about this duck: “The result is one of the most complex series of plumage patterns to be found in any bird.” Just another reason to love Old Squaw.
My carving captures this nicely proportioned duck with its neatly rounded head. It has a small bill and a short neck. My male model has the long extended tail feathers hence the name, Long-tail. Sorry, no grandchildren will handle Earl’s prize. Look but not touch, eh.
Collectors - never give up looking. You never know.
Fly Away
NN1903 Earl Plato
Mushrooms anyone? George Sherk and I ventured into Wainfleet Marsh last week. We walked the full length of the trail and as we
went we saw various fungi. Puffballs ready to pick and take home but wait! Can you harvest mushrooms and puffballs in this Niagara Peninsula Conservation setting? We left them alone.
Remember eating the wrong mushrooms can be deadly. Know your fungi, eh!
***
Alas my Spicebush swallowtail butterflies did not survive. I don’t know why. I have had butterflies emerge from their chrysalises before. Here’s a good memory. We had just brought back some baskets of elderberries.
As usual Elaine cleaned the little berries while I envisaged one of my favourite pies. Elaine called out, “Earl, come look at this!” There hanging down from a naked elderberry branch was a chrysalis, an unusual one, at least to me. It was brown in colour with silver spots along the sides. It had a curved irregular shape and resembled a little stick of twisted wood. The silver spots stood out.
I placed the chrysalis still attached to the elderberry branch in a jar without a top. I observed it each day and squeezed some drops of water on it at times. In just a few days we discovered one morning a beautiful Comma butterfly. I carefully picked it up and released it outside.
My specimen was close to two inches wide. Its wing margins appeared
ragged and it had a short tail. It was rust-brown above with black blotches like many of the Angelwings. My Comma specimen had a broad margin to its wings. It stayed near our Butterfly bushes that day, Next morning it was gone.
I was told, “The Anglewings dart rapidly about, ”He was right. Want to see a relative of the Comma? Look for the Question Mark! Want a butterfly fix? Visit our famous Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.
Mushrooms anyone? George Sherk and I ventured into Wainfleet Marsh last week. We walked the full length of the trail and as we
went we saw various fungi. Puffballs ready to pick and take home but wait! Can you harvest mushrooms and puffballs in this Niagara Peninsula Conservation setting? We left them alone.
Remember eating the wrong mushrooms can be deadly. Know your fungi, eh!
***
Alas my Spicebush swallowtail butterflies did not survive. I don’t know why. I have had butterflies emerge from their chrysalises before. Here’s a good memory. We had just brought back some baskets of elderberries.
As usual Elaine cleaned the little berries while I envisaged one of my favourite pies. Elaine called out, “Earl, come look at this!” There hanging down from a naked elderberry branch was a chrysalis, an unusual one, at least to me. It was brown in colour with silver spots along the sides. It had a curved irregular shape and resembled a little stick of twisted wood. The silver spots stood out.
I placed the chrysalis still attached to the elderberry branch in a jar without a top. I observed it each day and squeezed some drops of water on it at times. In just a few days we discovered one morning a beautiful Comma butterfly. I carefully picked it up and released it outside.
My specimen was close to two inches wide. Its wing margins appeared
ragged and it had a short tail. It was rust-brown above with black blotches like many of the Angelwings. My Comma specimen had a broad margin to its wings. It stayed near our Butterfly bushes that day, Next morning it was gone.
I was told, “The Anglewings dart rapidly about, ”He was right. Want to see a relative of the Comma? Look for the Question Mark! Want a butterfly fix? Visit our famous Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Bridge
The Bridge Earl P;ato
“Like a bridge over troubled waters...” The Marcy Woods bridge below is not over water but it crosses a deep ravine. Years ago Dr. Marcy had the bridge built for those friends and relatives who visited the Marcy log cabin. Many of us remember crossing the bridge in recent years as the structure declined. Finally a decision was made - remove the bridge.
In a solo amazing feat Ray Willwerth of the Bert Miller Nature Club with some help dismantled the weakened structure. Ray was able to secure some solid cedar lumber and his single handed effort began. Look at the photo. In a few weeks, I believe, a new bridge - strong and solid evolved. It was now a bridge to nature adventures. Kudos to bridge builder - Ray Willwerth.
Once you cross over the bridge you are at the Marcy Cabin built in 1927 by local builders under the direction of Dr. George Marcy’s father. In 1931 Elizabeth and George Marcy had their honeymoon in this historic cabin. What a beautiful setting.
Oh that the powers that be see fit to preserve this cabin and Marcy’s Woods for nature lovers. Many of us know that was the wish of Dr. George and Elizabeth Marcy. No more troubled waters, eh? Let it be so.
“Like a bridge over troubled waters...” The Marcy Woods bridge below is not over water but it crosses a deep ravine. Years ago Dr. Marcy had the bridge built for those friends and relatives who visited the Marcy log cabin. Many of us remember crossing the bridge in recent years as the structure declined. Finally a decision was made - remove the bridge.
In a solo amazing feat Ray Willwerth of the Bert Miller Nature Club with some help dismantled the weakened structure. Ray was able to secure some solid cedar lumber and his single handed effort began. Look at the photo. In a few weeks, I believe, a new bridge - strong and solid evolved. It was now a bridge to nature adventures. Kudos to bridge builder - Ray Willwerth.
Once you cross over the bridge you are at the Marcy Cabin built in 1927 by local builders under the direction of Dr. George Marcy’s father. In 1931 Elizabeth and George Marcy had their honeymoon in this historic cabin. What a beautiful setting.
Oh that the powers that be see fit to preserve this cabin and Marcy’s Woods for nature lovers. Many of us know that was the wish of Dr. George and Elizabeth Marcy. No more troubled waters, eh? Let it be so.
I Remember
Remember - Summer’s over and Fall has arrived. Here is a last flashback to warmer days. Memories of the John James Audubon historic house west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are still fresh to me. Daughter, Diane, and I had a half day while her husband, John, was at a conference in the city. North of the house where Audubon had done much of his famous paintings of birds was a bubbling brook. Someone had placed stepping stones across the thirty foot wide stream. Convenient, for now after you tiptoed across you were among flowering shrubs and the multitude of songbirds. I recognized the melodious songs of the Baltimore orioles. Warblers galore but then I knew only a few of their calls. What a glorious day to enjoy this great natural setting. Thank goodness for my camcorder for we have a lasting record. Take a little time to enjoy the past in nature. Recall those gems of the outdoors. Appreciate the work of the Creator, then search out new nature gems.
Ed Teale, late American naturalist, was a well recognized writer and photographer. He has inspired me many times. I share this excerpt from his log for it symbolizes his ability to look closely in nature. “Close to my feet, half hidden in the grass of the brookside, I discover a green frog. Anchored a few feet away to a twig projecting out from between stones of the bridge is the nymphal skin of a dragonfly. Lodged on rocks around which water foams are bright yellow fragments of the wings of a
Tiger swallowtail. It, no doubt, has been caught by some bird, perhaps a kingbird, which stripped off the inedible wings and let them flutter down before its meal began. I look up from these colourful remnants of the luckless insect just in time to see another Tiger swallowtail, buoyant and graceful, come sweeping over the bridge to past above my head and flutter upstream along the brook.”
Teale, observant in nature? You bet. I can picture that scene above in my mind’s eye. Take some time to quietly observe some nature setting this spring. I need to do better observing. To do so I bought another foldable tripod seat. I broke the last one but after shedding some pounds I hope this one holds me up. Take ten-fifteen minutes at one natural setting and use all your senses to simply observe.
Ed Teale, late American naturalist, was a well recognized writer and photographer. He has inspired me many times. I share this excerpt from his log for it symbolizes his ability to look closely in nature. “Close to my feet, half hidden in the grass of the brookside, I discover a green frog. Anchored a few feet away to a twig projecting out from between stones of the bridge is the nymphal skin of a dragonfly. Lodged on rocks around which water foams are bright yellow fragments of the wings of a
Tiger swallowtail. It, no doubt, has been caught by some bird, perhaps a kingbird, which stripped off the inedible wings and let them flutter down before its meal began. I look up from these colourful remnants of the luckless insect just in time to see another Tiger swallowtail, buoyant and graceful, come sweeping over the bridge to past above my head and flutter upstream along the brook.”
Teale, observant in nature? You bet. I can picture that scene above in my mind’s eye. Take some time to quietly observe some nature setting this spring. I need to do better observing. To do so I bought another foldable tripod seat. I broke the last one but after shedding some pounds I hope this one holds me up. Take ten-fifteen minutes at one natural setting and use all your senses to simply observe.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wild Ginger
Senses Earl Plato
My smelling sense is okay. For me it’s eyesight. I need to be with some one who has good eyesight. They sight the bird and then I have a little time to focus on it. We have the Hooded warbler on the Upper Trail at Marcy Woods. My hearing is good and I have taped the call of the Hooded warbler. It’s a loud song that’s whistled - “weeta-wee-tee-o” Listen for a metallic “Chink, chink” too as it forages. I am trying to see it this weekend. Do you have good eyesight? It has a black hood and bib and a bright yellow face. I hope to see one but I may need help.
***
Rediscovered in 2006! Thanks to the University of Guelph Field Naturalists at Marcy Woods this past Saturday. We had just met owner Dino Di Cienzo who greeted us on the Lower Trail. As we walked along I told Kevin Butt, the Guelph botanist, about the Wild Ginger plant. When I was ten or so my father and I went with naturalist Bert Miller to Niagara Glen. Bert had a plan for the Woods. He removed a number of these plants. That same day we went to Abino Woods ( it was known then as Marcy Woods) and transplanted them around a large maple tree on the Lower Trail east of the cabin. There they grew for years. Lift up the heart-shaped leaves of this low lying plant and find a curious purple-brown flower. Since I have returned to Marcy Woods I couldn’t find the Wild Ginger. Thanks to Peter Foebel, a past President of the Bert Miller Nature Club, who told me recently, “Earl, they’re still there near the stump.” We stood at the huge overturned maple stump when Kevin of Guelph Field naturalists called to me. “Here they are at the back of the stump!” One of the lady naturalists found some others of them while walking up to the cabin. It’s too early for the flowers yet but a great rediscovery for plant lovers of the Woods. Be excited about nature offerings.
Writer’s note: The root has a strong ginger-like odour. Don’t dig up this rare plant or an plant on this private protected property! In the old days the late Fort Erie naturalist Bert Miller told us that when the root was cooked with brown sugar it was used by the early settlers as a confectionary. By itself it could be used as a substitute for ginger. Ginger bread cookies comes to mind. How are your taste buds?
Note: Rob Eberly, Ridgeway naturalist, has a fine growth of Wild Ginger growing at his place, Very Impressive.
My smelling sense is okay. For me it’s eyesight. I need to be with some one who has good eyesight. They sight the bird and then I have a little time to focus on it. We have the Hooded warbler on the Upper Trail at Marcy Woods. My hearing is good and I have taped the call of the Hooded warbler. It’s a loud song that’s whistled - “weeta-wee-tee-o” Listen for a metallic “Chink, chink” too as it forages. I am trying to see it this weekend. Do you have good eyesight? It has a black hood and bib and a bright yellow face. I hope to see one but I may need help.
***
Rediscovered in 2006! Thanks to the University of Guelph Field Naturalists at Marcy Woods this past Saturday. We had just met owner Dino Di Cienzo who greeted us on the Lower Trail. As we walked along I told Kevin Butt, the Guelph botanist, about the Wild Ginger plant. When I was ten or so my father and I went with naturalist Bert Miller to Niagara Glen. Bert had a plan for the Woods. He removed a number of these plants. That same day we went to Abino Woods ( it was known then as Marcy Woods) and transplanted them around a large maple tree on the Lower Trail east of the cabin. There they grew for years. Lift up the heart-shaped leaves of this low lying plant and find a curious purple-brown flower. Since I have returned to Marcy Woods I couldn’t find the Wild Ginger. Thanks to Peter Foebel, a past President of the Bert Miller Nature Club, who told me recently, “Earl, they’re still there near the stump.” We stood at the huge overturned maple stump when Kevin of Guelph Field naturalists called to me. “Here they are at the back of the stump!” One of the lady naturalists found some others of them while walking up to the cabin. It’s too early for the flowers yet but a great rediscovery for plant lovers of the Woods. Be excited about nature offerings.
Writer’s note: The root has a strong ginger-like odour. Don’t dig up this rare plant or an plant on this private protected property! In the old days the late Fort Erie naturalist Bert Miller told us that when the root was cooked with brown sugar it was used by the early settlers as a confectionary. By itself it could be used as a substitute for ginger. Ginger bread cookies comes to mind. How are your taste buds?
Note: Rob Eberly, Ridgeway naturalist, has a fine growth of Wild Ginger growing at his place, Very Impressive.
Monday, January 14, 2008
A Walking WAY
Earl Plato
Time for a look back at the evolution of Fort Erie’s Friendship Trail - to motorize or not, that was the question years ago. As for me and my friends we wanted a pedestrian trail with bikers and inline skaters exclusively. Here is a actual scenario about paved trails. Ray Willwerth and I walked with octogenarian John Lessle seven springs ago. John had walked Marcy Woods trails for well over sixty years. That’s where I met him first. John wanted us to see his paved trail in western New York. On this late winter day we picked up John and headed west to Werhle Drive. We were a few miles from Eastern Hills Mall.. We drove to a parking lot where they made pacemakers. Behind the factory were nature trails that John often walked on. Remember we are now out in a rural area. We followed the path into the woods until we came to a paved trail. Remember this occasion was before the concept of our own local pedestrian Friendship Trail. Paved? As far as we could see stretched a 20 foot wide paved trail. “The old New York Central went through here,” John said. “Too bad though. It’s a raceway for bikes, big bikes, Harleys and the like. Hikers don’t come out here on the weekend - too dangerous. In the winter time it’s snowmobiles. They travel fast too. There’s no police monitoring as far as I know. The machines rule. That’s why we parked where we did. As of 2005 things have not changed on the western New York Trail. Sad for pedestrians, eh. John Lessle didn’t mention the thundering hooves of horses. What could have been a great nature walk in a peaceful setting was never realized. That was 1998. I wonder if those Western New Yorkers who love the peace of the great outdoors were ever heard. No, at last contact with our American relatives in 2004 it’s still a motor/horse runway. Here in Fort Erie we will have horses on the Trail from Gorham Road to Halloway Bay Road. What? Separate trails that is. I like to see riders on horseback but not on a pedestrian trail. Hope it works out for all involved. See you on the Friendship Trail in 2008. You can park at Crescent Park or in Ridgeway and walk a section or more come spring. Remember to be friendly. That’s what it’s all about.
Time for a look back at the evolution of Fort Erie’s Friendship Trail - to motorize or not, that was the question years ago. As for me and my friends we wanted a pedestrian trail with bikers and inline skaters exclusively. Here is a actual scenario about paved trails. Ray Willwerth and I walked with octogenarian John Lessle seven springs ago. John had walked Marcy Woods trails for well over sixty years. That’s where I met him first. John wanted us to see his paved trail in western New York. On this late winter day we picked up John and headed west to Werhle Drive. We were a few miles from Eastern Hills Mall.. We drove to a parking lot where they made pacemakers. Behind the factory were nature trails that John often walked on. Remember we are now out in a rural area. We followed the path into the woods until we came to a paved trail. Remember this occasion was before the concept of our own local pedestrian Friendship Trail. Paved? As far as we could see stretched a 20 foot wide paved trail. “The old New York Central went through here,” John said. “Too bad though. It’s a raceway for bikes, big bikes, Harleys and the like. Hikers don’t come out here on the weekend - too dangerous. In the winter time it’s snowmobiles. They travel fast too. There’s no police monitoring as far as I know. The machines rule. That’s why we parked where we did. As of 2005 things have not changed on the western New York Trail. Sad for pedestrians, eh. John Lessle didn’t mention the thundering hooves of horses. What could have been a great nature walk in a peaceful setting was never realized. That was 1998. I wonder if those Western New Yorkers who love the peace of the great outdoors were ever heard. No, at last contact with our American relatives in 2004 it’s still a motor/horse runway. Here in Fort Erie we will have horses on the Trail from Gorham Road to Halloway Bay Road. What? Separate trails that is. I like to see riders on horseback but not on a pedestrian trail. Hope it works out for all involved. See you on the Friendship Trail in 2008. You can park at Crescent Park or in Ridgeway and walk a section or more come spring. Remember to be friendly. That’s what it’s all about.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Anomalies?
Anomalies? Earl Plato
An anomaly in the movies? I heard the word how many times while watching Matrix Reloaded recently. “Anomaly?” Anomalies in nature? I guess so. We have seen the “Witch’s Brooms” at Marcy Woods and in the Thunder Bay community outside Ridgeway. A virus had attacked coniferous trees such as hemlock and pine. The trees’ attempts to fight this virus incursion results in dense growths at the end of branches, hence the name, “Witch’s Broom.” The name fits the shape. There are other anomalies in nature.
C’mon Plato, what’s an anomaly in nature? It’s a deviation from the ordinary, from what’s the rule that you observe in the great outdoors. You can call it an abnormality and I apply it also to strange behaviour in animals.
The following anomaly in nature comes from Teale’s writings while he rambled in his woods one day.
“However, if the woodchucks fail to contribute to the interest of my walk, the house sparrows do provide a time of diversion at its end. When I started out nearly half a hundred were feeding with other small birds on seed scattered on the snow. When I come back I see them again. Now they are collected in the far corner of the yard close to a bluebird box that has been left on the fence post throughout the winter. Like tree swallows on telephone wires during the autumn migration, they are ranged side by side In dense rows along the barbed wires of the nearby fence. All are chirping in great excitement.” Here’s the anomaly.
“One after the other, little groups of four or five flutter up to the box. They hover at the round entrance hole or alight on the box. Then another band rises and takes their place, repeating the puzzling performance. None of the house sparrows, so far as I can see, enter the hole. After all the birds have flown away, I examine the box carefully. There is nothing inside that has caused the excitement!” I’d say this is an anomaly, a deviation from normal house sparrow behaviour.
Teale thought about it. Perhaps the sparrows had engaged in some mass response to an early mating and nesting urge. Training? As one who has had to lower his two Purple martin houses on the farm each spring and dig out the House sparrows’ nests before the Martins’ return, I know the tenacity of those (English) House sparrows.
What Teale saw was etched in his mind. It was not normal sparrow activities as far as he knew.
An anomaly in the movies? I heard the word how many times while watching Matrix Reloaded recently. “Anomaly?” Anomalies in nature? I guess so. We have seen the “Witch’s Brooms” at Marcy Woods and in the Thunder Bay community outside Ridgeway. A virus had attacked coniferous trees such as hemlock and pine. The trees’ attempts to fight this virus incursion results in dense growths at the end of branches, hence the name, “Witch’s Broom.” The name fits the shape. There are other anomalies in nature.
C’mon Plato, what’s an anomaly in nature? It’s a deviation from the ordinary, from what’s the rule that you observe in the great outdoors. You can call it an abnormality and I apply it also to strange behaviour in animals.
The following anomaly in nature comes from Teale’s writings while he rambled in his woods one day.
“However, if the woodchucks fail to contribute to the interest of my walk, the house sparrows do provide a time of diversion at its end. When I started out nearly half a hundred were feeding with other small birds on seed scattered on the snow. When I come back I see them again. Now they are collected in the far corner of the yard close to a bluebird box that has been left on the fence post throughout the winter. Like tree swallows on telephone wires during the autumn migration, they are ranged side by side In dense rows along the barbed wires of the nearby fence. All are chirping in great excitement.” Here’s the anomaly.
“One after the other, little groups of four or five flutter up to the box. They hover at the round entrance hole or alight on the box. Then another band rises and takes their place, repeating the puzzling performance. None of the house sparrows, so far as I can see, enter the hole. After all the birds have flown away, I examine the box carefully. There is nothing inside that has caused the excitement!” I’d say this is an anomaly, a deviation from normal house sparrow behaviour.
Teale thought about it. Perhaps the sparrows had engaged in some mass response to an early mating and nesting urge. Training? As one who has had to lower his two Purple martin houses on the farm each spring and dig out the House sparrows’ nests before the Martins’ return, I know the tenacity of those (English) House sparrows.
What Teale saw was etched in his mind. It was not normal sparrow activities as far as he knew.
Turkey Time Canadian That Is
Nature Earl Plato
It was mid-morning when we turned on to Wilhelm Road off Highway No.3. We could see the snow-covered road ahead of us. Snow drifts had corrugated the north bound way. It was late March. Go ahead? We did bucking the small drifts to Concession No. 2. We turned west where there was negligible drifting. As we approached White Road to our right, Elaine exclaimed, Look over there!” There in a large open field to the north were numerous specks. “Canadas? No they aren’t. Look at the way they walk,” I said. Usually I have my bird glasses and camera. Not this time. Naked eyes must suffice. As they approached closer to us we knew what they were. We had seen much smaller flocks in the Ridgeway area. We started counting. “ten, twenty, thirty, forty .... fifty-two!” That was my count. Elaine counted forty-eight Wild turkeys. They moved away eastwards from our parked car headed east across the snow-covered corn field to the sanctuary of the woods. An amazing sight! Averaging our counts we had seem circa fifty large birds - the Canadian wild turkeys.
We wound the windows down. I wanted to hear the familiar gobble of
domestic turkeys. No gobbles this day but there were clucks and yes, yelps. The larger turkeys had to be males. Mature males are about 48 inches (122 cm) in body length while females are about 36 inches (91 cm). We did not see any of the males spread their huge fan-like tails.
Remember these birds were on the run. Wild turkeys can move quickly.
No time to show off to the girls.
We weren’t finished yet. After our return trip from Welland and a brief stop at my daughter’s place in Port Colborne we headed back home down No. 3 highway. It was approaching supper time. Ridgeway neighbour, Len Noake, told us to take a look for Wild turkeys in the fields to the northwest off Wilhelm Road. Good advice. There on the edge of the woods we counted about twenty Wild turkeys.
What a Wild turkey day! Be alert in nature for who knows what you might see.
It was mid-morning when we turned on to Wilhelm Road off Highway No.3. We could see the snow-covered road ahead of us. Snow drifts had corrugated the north bound way. It was late March. Go ahead? We did bucking the small drifts to Concession No. 2. We turned west where there was negligible drifting. As we approached White Road to our right, Elaine exclaimed, Look over there!” There in a large open field to the north were numerous specks. “Canadas? No they aren’t. Look at the way they walk,” I said. Usually I have my bird glasses and camera. Not this time. Naked eyes must suffice. As they approached closer to us we knew what they were. We had seen much smaller flocks in the Ridgeway area. We started counting. “ten, twenty, thirty, forty .... fifty-two!” That was my count. Elaine counted forty-eight Wild turkeys. They moved away eastwards from our parked car headed east across the snow-covered corn field to the sanctuary of the woods. An amazing sight! Averaging our counts we had seem circa fifty large birds - the Canadian wild turkeys.
We wound the windows down. I wanted to hear the familiar gobble of
domestic turkeys. No gobbles this day but there were clucks and yes, yelps. The larger turkeys had to be males. Mature males are about 48 inches (122 cm) in body length while females are about 36 inches (91 cm). We did not see any of the males spread their huge fan-like tails.
Remember these birds were on the run. Wild turkeys can move quickly.
No time to show off to the girls.
We weren’t finished yet. After our return trip from Welland and a brief stop at my daughter’s place in Port Colborne we headed back home down No. 3 highway. It was approaching supper time. Ridgeway neighbour, Len Noake, told us to take a look for Wild turkeys in the fields to the northwest off Wilhelm Road. Good advice. There on the edge of the woods we counted about twenty Wild turkeys.
What a Wild turkey day! Be alert in nature for who knows what you might see.
A Woodpecker is not just a Woodpecker!
Woodpeckers Earl Plato
It’s good to walk Marcy Woods on the growing warmer April day. George Sherk and I walked the Lower Trail to Marcy pond. No residual snow on the path. My goal was to hear the frogs especially the Wood frogs and their quacking sounds.
What a long winter. George and I looked for Coltsfoot, the dandelion-like harbinger of spring. No show yet. The heads of a few Skunk cabbages were showing along the Trail. No Wild leeks, No Spring beauties. No frogs. Not a sound of Spring peepers, Chorus frogs, or my favorite the Wood frogs. It is a slow unfolding spring scenario. However, we heard a few birds. A Purple finch serenaded us at the beginning of the trip. Then we heard the call of the Red-bellied woodpecker. Again and again he called from the ridge above us. This woodpecker , the size of a robin with black and white bars - zebra like - on its wings. Better birders than I can spot the red patch on its lower abdomen. The times I’ve focused on that spot it appeared ‘pink’ to me! George and I heard its ‘chuck’’chuck’ ‘chuck’ descending in pitch then a loud oft repeated ‘churrr.’ We interpreted the calls as “Welcome back to Marcy Woods!” Then we heard the unmistakable giant tapping of the Pileated woodpecker, our largest of all woodpeckers. Once you’ve heard the loud, resonant tappings you won’t forget it. That’s what the remainder of this article is about, the Pileated.
We walked up to the cabin across the bridge and back down the Trail to the car.
Only an hour! Why? Other times we would stop longer to gaze and appreciate the Creator’s hand.
***
Have you seen the handiwork of that giant woodpecker? It loves old beech trees so I’ve discovered. From Algonquin Park to Stigilmeier Park in Depew, New York we have seen the enormous cavities in decaying beech trees. As we walked te paths of Stigilmeier with Rob Eberly, Ridgeway naturalist, we came upon a pile of wood chips to our left. There 12-15 feet high in an old beech tree was a rectangular cavity 3-4 feet long and 6-8 inches wide chipped out by a Pileated woodpecker. Impressive. I took a photo and recorded the happening in my log book.
My old writing mentor, the late Ed Teale, recorded on April 12th many years ago the following:
“... this largest woodpecker of the north has littered the ground with wood chips. Eight feet or so above them was a long gash shining out the side of a decaying beech tree. Half a foot deep and three feet long, it reveals where the black, white, and red bird had chiseled into the wood in search of hibernating masses of carpenter ants.
Whenever you see such large cavities in old trees suspect a Pileated around.
Note: Dress properly - long sleeves and long pants and a mosquito spray that has Deet in it. Follow directions. Keep birding but be protected, eh!
It’s good to walk Marcy Woods on the growing warmer April day. George Sherk and I walked the Lower Trail to Marcy pond. No residual snow on the path. My goal was to hear the frogs especially the Wood frogs and their quacking sounds.
What a long winter. George and I looked for Coltsfoot, the dandelion-like harbinger of spring. No show yet. The heads of a few Skunk cabbages were showing along the Trail. No Wild leeks, No Spring beauties. No frogs. Not a sound of Spring peepers, Chorus frogs, or my favorite the Wood frogs. It is a slow unfolding spring scenario. However, we heard a few birds. A Purple finch serenaded us at the beginning of the trip. Then we heard the call of the Red-bellied woodpecker. Again and again he called from the ridge above us. This woodpecker , the size of a robin with black and white bars - zebra like - on its wings. Better birders than I can spot the red patch on its lower abdomen. The times I’ve focused on that spot it appeared ‘pink’ to me! George and I heard its ‘chuck’’chuck’ ‘chuck’ descending in pitch then a loud oft repeated ‘churrr.’ We interpreted the calls as “Welcome back to Marcy Woods!” Then we heard the unmistakable giant tapping of the Pileated woodpecker, our largest of all woodpeckers. Once you’ve heard the loud, resonant tappings you won’t forget it. That’s what the remainder of this article is about, the Pileated.
We walked up to the cabin across the bridge and back down the Trail to the car.
Only an hour! Why? Other times we would stop longer to gaze and appreciate the Creator’s hand.
***
Have you seen the handiwork of that giant woodpecker? It loves old beech trees so I’ve discovered. From Algonquin Park to Stigilmeier Park in Depew, New York we have seen the enormous cavities in decaying beech trees. As we walked te paths of Stigilmeier with Rob Eberly, Ridgeway naturalist, we came upon a pile of wood chips to our left. There 12-15 feet high in an old beech tree was a rectangular cavity 3-4 feet long and 6-8 inches wide chipped out by a Pileated woodpecker. Impressive. I took a photo and recorded the happening in my log book.
My old writing mentor, the late Ed Teale, recorded on April 12th many years ago the following:
“... this largest woodpecker of the north has littered the ground with wood chips. Eight feet or so above them was a long gash shining out the side of a decaying beech tree. Half a foot deep and three feet long, it reveals where the black, white, and red bird had chiseled into the wood in search of hibernating masses of carpenter ants.
Whenever you see such large cavities in old trees suspect a Pileated around.
Note: Dress properly - long sleeves and long pants and a mosquito spray that has Deet in it. Follow directions. Keep birding but be protected, eh!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Fly Fishing, Eh
nature Earl Plato
Responses to my recent article on earth worms drew this response. “Earl. What do you know about fly fishing?” “Not very much,”- I said. I have observed spectacular fly castings at Toronto and Buffalo Sportsmen Shows. I watched at Chew Magna Lake in Somerset, England as many fly fishermen showed their fly casting skills. Impressive? Yes. I have even perused Isaac Walton’s 1653 book, The Compleat Angler. Still I was limited in my knowledge. Then my income tax consultant Bob Allen, a retired Fort Erie elementary school principal and an old friend, provided me with an excellent personal write up about fly fishing, Bob even provided photos of his excursion to Slovakia in Europe. Have you ever fly fished? Here are excerpts about Bob’s adventure. Bob’s fly fishing guide would be Jan Bartka, the Champion Fly Fisherman of Slovokia also known for his accomplishments as a World Champion Fly Fisherman. What a way to learn this skill! “I slid into the wool pants first as the water was known to be cold and then into the waders. Jan hooked the net onto my back and handed me a pole. He said, “Practise.” We headed to a shallower part of the river to do just that. The first attempts I used a dry Caddis fly. When Jan was reasonably satisfied with the fact that most often my fly found the right part of the water we headed down stream to get more serious.”
Writer’s note: Bob and Jan were fishing on the cold, fast flowing waters of the Vah river in Slovakia.
Jan Bartka would position Bob in a certain area. He wanted Bob to cast upstream and let the dry fish float down and across the current. They were not getting any results with the dry flies so Jan decided to switch to wet flies or nymphs. He tied two on the leader. The first was a “Wooly Bugger” placed about a foot above a tiny green bead head followed by a light sinker on the end of the leader. This weighted fly line approach was new to Bob. Jan came over to him and led him in the approach of flipping the fly combination in a loop over his left shoulder. Then a hit followed by a trout on the line with a short exciting struggle. Bob exclaimed, :Lost it!” A lesson was learned to keep the tip of the rod high. Eventually the two moved to deeper water where Jan showed his expertise in quickly covering each area and hitting Brown Trout. The fun of fly fishing overcame Bob’s weariness of attempting to stay upright in the swift current. Yes, he did catch a fish - a Grayling. Bob said there were more hits on the wet flies but trout are so subtle in striking. Only experienced fly fishermen like Jan can recognize this and set the hook carefully without pulling it out. All the fish that day that they caught were released. Bob Allen ended with, “… a great day on the Vah River in the company of a champion fly fisherman. His exclamation - PRICELESS!”
Responses to my recent article on earth worms drew this response. “Earl. What do you know about fly fishing?” “Not very much,”- I said. I have observed spectacular fly castings at Toronto and Buffalo Sportsmen Shows. I watched at Chew Magna Lake in Somerset, England as many fly fishermen showed their fly casting skills. Impressive? Yes. I have even perused Isaac Walton’s 1653 book, The Compleat Angler. Still I was limited in my knowledge. Then my income tax consultant Bob Allen, a retired Fort Erie elementary school principal and an old friend, provided me with an excellent personal write up about fly fishing, Bob even provided photos of his excursion to Slovakia in Europe. Have you ever fly fished? Here are excerpts about Bob’s adventure. Bob’s fly fishing guide would be Jan Bartka, the Champion Fly Fisherman of Slovokia also known for his accomplishments as a World Champion Fly Fisherman. What a way to learn this skill! “I slid into the wool pants first as the water was known to be cold and then into the waders. Jan hooked the net onto my back and handed me a pole. He said, “Practise.” We headed to a shallower part of the river to do just that. The first attempts I used a dry Caddis fly. When Jan was reasonably satisfied with the fact that most often my fly found the right part of the water we headed down stream to get more serious.”
Writer’s note: Bob and Jan were fishing on the cold, fast flowing waters of the Vah river in Slovakia.
Jan Bartka would position Bob in a certain area. He wanted Bob to cast upstream and let the dry fish float down and across the current. They were not getting any results with the dry flies so Jan decided to switch to wet flies or nymphs. He tied two on the leader. The first was a “Wooly Bugger” placed about a foot above a tiny green bead head followed by a light sinker on the end of the leader. This weighted fly line approach was new to Bob. Jan came over to him and led him in the approach of flipping the fly combination in a loop over his left shoulder. Then a hit followed by a trout on the line with a short exciting struggle. Bob exclaimed, :Lost it!” A lesson was learned to keep the tip of the rod high. Eventually the two moved to deeper water where Jan showed his expertise in quickly covering each area and hitting Brown Trout. The fun of fly fishing overcame Bob’s weariness of attempting to stay upright in the swift current. Yes, he did catch a fish - a Grayling. Bob said there were more hits on the wet flies but trout are so subtle in striking. Only experienced fly fishermen like Jan can recognize this and set the hook carefully without pulling it out. All the fish that day that they caught were released. Bob Allen ended with, “… a great day on the Vah River in the company of a champion fly fisherman. His exclamation - PRICELESS!”
Tracks Again
Track Time Again Earl Plato
Track times - behind Ross Bearss’s place one winter day - we were walking the narrow snow covered trail in the fields to the west. Besides the obvious track prints of rabbits there were other signs to search for while tracking. Here just off the trail was a small pile of feathers and drops of blood on the snow. A kestrel (Sparrow hawk) or some other accipiter had made a kill of a small bird. In nature in winter look for the signs such as urine markings and scat. Scat? My Peterson Guide shows drawings of the different droppings of mammals - that’s scat! They are tell tale signs. Here in Ross’s back fields we could see bushes with twigs chewed and in the woods trees with bark gnawed. Near the ponds we saw den holes in the banks and diggings in the ground where tracks led up to one. Skunk tracks? I think so. Remember this mammal on a warm winter day might wander outside for a little stroll.
Look for unusual signs not just tracks.
***
E-mails are wonderful for the most part. They let you contact relations across the Atlantic. For example, wife, Elaine, heard from her cousin, Diane, in Bristol, England. I have heard from my cousin’s son, Irvind, from Tromso, Norway. We wished each other a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and then ... Earl couldn’t resist asking the young university cousin ... what about the Eagle owl?
It’s scientific name for its home in Scandinavia is Bubo bubo bubo. No kidding!
Want to hear about this giant raptor? I am fascinated with this giant owl, the world’s largest. Daughter Diane, and I saw a captive young one at Pelham Library. The Stoney Creek Raptor group had a display of raptors. This young owl was as large as our largest resident owl, the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). When you think that our largest hawk in the peninsula is the Red-tailed hawk which weighs about 2-3 lbs then learn that a male Eagle Owl can weigh up to twenty pounds you begin to picture this most enormous raptor.
I wrote in the Review some years ago about this bird. My cousin Irvind is studying to become a doctor at the University of Tromso which is at the northern range of Bubo. Irvind has been with me to Marcy Woods. He has seen the Great Blue Heron and other large birds I the Niagara Peninsula. I have sailed the fjords of Norway and seen the huge Ravens but no Bubo bubo. My hope is that Irvind might see this giant bird. Today, January 3rd, 2003 I received an E-mail from cousin, Irvind. He has been in the north of Norway only a few months and has not seen Bubo bubo. Yes, he has seen the Eagle owl - several of them in a very big zoo outside of Christiansund in southern Norway. His comment - “They’re huge.” Look up the Eagle Owl on the Internet if you are interested. With Irvind in Norway willing to do a little research on Bubo bubo too, I will share what we find in a later article, eh.
***
Peregrine falcon back in Fort Erie. That’s the report received from birder, Marci Jacklin. She says, “ ... a group of Buffleheads taking flight to avoid a PEREGRINE FALCON.” (We watched this happen from the parking lot at the mouth of the Niagara River.) That’s across from historic Fort Erie. Welcome back peregrines in 2003! Ten Tundra swans still floating in Abino Bay on January 4th. Ice shelves starting to build up along the shore. Two of the swans are immature - notice the grayish colouring. As the Wild celery beds have ice cover over them will the Tunrdas stay?
Track times - behind Ross Bearss’s place one winter day - we were walking the narrow snow covered trail in the fields to the west. Besides the obvious track prints of rabbits there were other signs to search for while tracking. Here just off the trail was a small pile of feathers and drops of blood on the snow. A kestrel (Sparrow hawk) or some other accipiter had made a kill of a small bird. In nature in winter look for the signs such as urine markings and scat. Scat? My Peterson Guide shows drawings of the different droppings of mammals - that’s scat! They are tell tale signs. Here in Ross’s back fields we could see bushes with twigs chewed and in the woods trees with bark gnawed. Near the ponds we saw den holes in the banks and diggings in the ground where tracks led up to one. Skunk tracks? I think so. Remember this mammal on a warm winter day might wander outside for a little stroll.
Look for unusual signs not just tracks.
***
E-mails are wonderful for the most part. They let you contact relations across the Atlantic. For example, wife, Elaine, heard from her cousin, Diane, in Bristol, England. I have heard from my cousin’s son, Irvind, from Tromso, Norway. We wished each other a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and then ... Earl couldn’t resist asking the young university cousin ... what about the Eagle owl?
It’s scientific name for its home in Scandinavia is Bubo bubo bubo. No kidding!
Want to hear about this giant raptor? I am fascinated with this giant owl, the world’s largest. Daughter Diane, and I saw a captive young one at Pelham Library. The Stoney Creek Raptor group had a display of raptors. This young owl was as large as our largest resident owl, the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). When you think that our largest hawk in the peninsula is the Red-tailed hawk which weighs about 2-3 lbs then learn that a male Eagle Owl can weigh up to twenty pounds you begin to picture this most enormous raptor.
I wrote in the Review some years ago about this bird. My cousin Irvind is studying to become a doctor at the University of Tromso which is at the northern range of Bubo. Irvind has been with me to Marcy Woods. He has seen the Great Blue Heron and other large birds I the Niagara Peninsula. I have sailed the fjords of Norway and seen the huge Ravens but no Bubo bubo. My hope is that Irvind might see this giant bird. Today, January 3rd, 2003 I received an E-mail from cousin, Irvind. He has been in the north of Norway only a few months and has not seen Bubo bubo. Yes, he has seen the Eagle owl - several of them in a very big zoo outside of Christiansund in southern Norway. His comment - “They’re huge.” Look up the Eagle Owl on the Internet if you are interested. With Irvind in Norway willing to do a little research on Bubo bubo too, I will share what we find in a later article, eh.
***
Peregrine falcon back in Fort Erie. That’s the report received from birder, Marci Jacklin. She says, “ ... a group of Buffleheads taking flight to avoid a PEREGRINE FALCON.” (We watched this happen from the parking lot at the mouth of the Niagara River.) That’s across from historic Fort Erie. Welcome back peregrines in 2003! Ten Tundra swans still floating in Abino Bay on January 4th. Ice shelves starting to build up along the shore. Two of the swans are immature - notice the grayish colouring. As the Wild celery beds have ice cover over them will the Tunrdas stay?
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Big As A Heron?
Big Birds Earl Plato
"What do you think they are?" I received a call in the late nineties from Marg Brunning of Willoughby. She and her husband, Paul, believed that they had three Sandhill Cranes resting and eating grasshoppers in an a field down from their farm on Sauer Road. The Brunnings described Sandhill Cranes to me. They knew that they flew with their neck extended unlike our Great Blue Herons. They described the reddish patch on the heads of these huge gray colored birds.
I was excited. Elaine and I hopped into our car and raced down Sodom Road to Sauer Road. We were taken to the area where the cranes had been seen in the open cut field with its scattering of trees. We all agreed that it was unusual that Sandhill Cranes that hatch their young in the Arctic and then fly south to winter in New Mexico, Texas and Florida would be this far east. My Audubon book said that occasionally they are seen as far east as Michigan. Why not here? Just down the road to the west was Willougby Marsh a good place to find food for these wetland birds.
Here in October 2003 Archie from Niagara Falls called me. “Earl, we saw eight Sandhill cranes off Netherby Road. You know where the store is and Schil Road. We saw three in the field and near the woods to the south five more.” Huge birds with red-topped crowns. Big if not bigger than our Great blue herons.
"What do you think they are?" I received a call in the late nineties from Marg Brunning of Willoughby. She and her husband, Paul, believed that they had three Sandhill Cranes resting and eating grasshoppers in an a field down from their farm on Sauer Road. The Brunnings described Sandhill Cranes to me. They knew that they flew with their neck extended unlike our Great Blue Herons. They described the reddish patch on the heads of these huge gray colored birds.
I was excited. Elaine and I hopped into our car and raced down Sodom Road to Sauer Road. We were taken to the area where the cranes had been seen in the open cut field with its scattering of trees. We all agreed that it was unusual that Sandhill Cranes that hatch their young in the Arctic and then fly south to winter in New Mexico, Texas and Florida would be this far east. My Audubon book said that occasionally they are seen as far east as Michigan. Why not here? Just down the road to the west was Willougby Marsh a good place to find food for these wetland birds.
Here in October 2003 Archie from Niagara Falls called me. “Earl, we saw eight Sandhill cranes off Netherby Road. You know where the store is and Schil Road. We saw three in the field and near the woods to the south five more.” Huge birds with red-topped crowns. Big if not bigger than our Great blue herons.
Carolinian species
Flying Squirrel? Earl Plato
Carolinian forest - Marcy’s Woods - Hooded warbler - Hog-nosed snake - Southern flying squirrel. Did I say Southern flying squirrel? Yes, both Patty (Marcy) Richards and long time Marcy’s Woods advocate, Dr. Rick Stockton, testify to many sightings over the years of this diminutive forest creature. Well, on a past December 12th morning, this writer saw this squirrel. To you who have been here before let me set up the scenario. As you cross the open area of the Kennels’ property you head for the middle road/ path of the three. At this entrance at the beginning route to Marcy’s Woods are two tall Norway spruces on either side of the road/path. It was a bright but very windy day and the tall spruces were swaying back and forth. . Then I saw it! A squirrel leaped from the top of the spruce on the right and glided to the spruce on the left. The distance we estimated had to be 25-30 feet. I yelled and Ray caught a glimpse. What I saw was more gray than brown on the body. It turned momentarily on the branch. It was a small squirrel with large eyes. A Southern flying squirrel? We think so. When we returned a few hours later we looked for this little guy. Ray picked out what seemed like a small nest on the one spruce.
I went home and found my drawing of a Northern flying squirrel that I made at Stony Lake a few years previously.
Our Southern flying Squirrel is our smallest tree squirrel. Tail and all it’s only 10 inches long. Half of that is tail. Why don’t we see more? It and its larger cousin above are the only nocturnal squirrels in Ontario. Yes, they occasionally are seen in the day. Believe me.
It does not truly fly but glides. We are told that it can glide well over 100 feet. Wow! It’s an endangered species! Our Ministry of Natural Resource team found three pairs living in Marcy Woods in 2000. One more reason to keep Marcy Woods preserved, eh.
With legs outstretched and the fold of skin (white in colour) spread between foreleg and hind leg that acts as a combination parachute and glider wing, I have seen this nature phenomenon.
Writer’s Note: No need to tell you about what you can do to avoid West Nile Virus. Read the province’s information brochure thoroughly and take action. “Fight the Bite!”
Carolinian forest - Marcy’s Woods - Hooded warbler - Hog-nosed snake - Southern flying squirrel. Did I say Southern flying squirrel? Yes, both Patty (Marcy) Richards and long time Marcy’s Woods advocate, Dr. Rick Stockton, testify to many sightings over the years of this diminutive forest creature. Well, on a past December 12th morning, this writer saw this squirrel. To you who have been here before let me set up the scenario. As you cross the open area of the Kennels’ property you head for the middle road/ path of the three. At this entrance at the beginning route to Marcy’s Woods are two tall Norway spruces on either side of the road/path. It was a bright but very windy day and the tall spruces were swaying back and forth. . Then I saw it! A squirrel leaped from the top of the spruce on the right and glided to the spruce on the left. The distance we estimated had to be 25-30 feet. I yelled and Ray caught a glimpse. What I saw was more gray than brown on the body. It turned momentarily on the branch. It was a small squirrel with large eyes. A Southern flying squirrel? We think so. When we returned a few hours later we looked for this little guy. Ray picked out what seemed like a small nest on the one spruce.
I went home and found my drawing of a Northern flying squirrel that I made at Stony Lake a few years previously.
Our Southern flying Squirrel is our smallest tree squirrel. Tail and all it’s only 10 inches long. Half of that is tail. Why don’t we see more? It and its larger cousin above are the only nocturnal squirrels in Ontario. Yes, they occasionally are seen in the day. Believe me.
It does not truly fly but glides. We are told that it can glide well over 100 feet. Wow! It’s an endangered species! Our Ministry of Natural Resource team found three pairs living in Marcy Woods in 2000. One more reason to keep Marcy Woods preserved, eh.
With legs outstretched and the fold of skin (white in colour) spread between foreleg and hind leg that acts as a combination parachute and glider wing, I have seen this nature phenomenon.
Writer’s Note: No need to tell you about what you can do to avoid West Nile Virus. Read the province’s information brochure thoroughly and take action. “Fight the Bite!”
Cold man!
A Cold Walk Earl Plato
Three thoughts on a cold walk in Marcy Woods. Snow is still heavy on the trails. I hadn’t been in Marcy Woods for over a month. Ed Teale, late nature writer from New England, gave me the idea of sharing three thoughts. Not his but mine.
(1) On a return to old familiar scenes at Marcy Woods it is remarkable how remembered trees step forward to meet you. On the Lower Trail of Marcy Woods I first meet the two towering Norway spruce at the beginning of the road leading into Marcy Woods. It was here that we saw a Flying squirrel launch itself from the top of one spruce to the other. Memorable.
Next at the actual beginning of the Lower Trail was the towering hemlock with a anomaly growing high up on a branch. This is where the “Witch’s Broom” is still growing.
Down the winding hilly trail we ramble. On our left are the Twin Black Oaks. This is where daughter Allison and I waited patiently for the appearance of the giant Pileated woodpecker.
Turning south on the trail we came to one of my favourite trees, the towering Tulip tree. I usually touch it as a symbol of well wishing for this old but healthy Carolinian tree. Just a few first tree thoughts.
(2) Shades of September 11, 2001. Will things ever be the same? The following was written when I was just a youth by English historian G.M. Trevelyan. “Two things are characteristic of this age.The conscious appreciation of natural beauty and the rapidity with which natural beauty is being destroyed.” Here in 2002 both characteristics have been accentuated. Man may end the world by trying to unravel most of the secrets of nature about the time he has succeeded in destroying nature. With the nuclear bomb ever present, anthrax, chemical weapons and along with who knows what other forms of mass destruction it means to me this time in our earthly history that man is not quite sure of the world’s future.
My faith lies in the power of an omniscient God. Yes, I refuse to give up on protecting our environment. “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid,” Psalm 56:11 To become obsessed with the eventual end of the earth I won’t waste my time worrying. It’s not in my hands.
(3) I love traveling. I believe that I find some enjoyment in every place I have visited or even revisited. When the late nature writer, Ed Teale, and his wife visited the northern tip of Scotland at John O’Groats, he was told how uninteresting he would find the landscape. Ed found it most fascinating and wrote about it more than once. My late father-in-law, Sid Kew, told me how he and his wife, Edna, enjoyed the trip up to that same Scottish tip. We never made it that far north but my wife loved the rugged Highlands of Scotland and Loch Ness area. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, eh. All kinds of country settings have their personal charms. “When the out-of-doors becomes boring it is due not to lack of interest inherent in the place but to a lack of recognition in the beholder.” Life is great and the natural settings are great. Enjoy the great outdoors in 2008! Don’t waste time worrying, eh.
Three thoughts on a cold walk in Marcy Woods. Snow is still heavy on the trails. I hadn’t been in Marcy Woods for over a month. Ed Teale, late nature writer from New England, gave me the idea of sharing three thoughts. Not his but mine.
(1) On a return to old familiar scenes at Marcy Woods it is remarkable how remembered trees step forward to meet you. On the Lower Trail of Marcy Woods I first meet the two towering Norway spruce at the beginning of the road leading into Marcy Woods. It was here that we saw a Flying squirrel launch itself from the top of one spruce to the other. Memorable.
Next at the actual beginning of the Lower Trail was the towering hemlock with a anomaly growing high up on a branch. This is where the “Witch’s Broom” is still growing.
Down the winding hilly trail we ramble. On our left are the Twin Black Oaks. This is where daughter Allison and I waited patiently for the appearance of the giant Pileated woodpecker.
Turning south on the trail we came to one of my favourite trees, the towering Tulip tree. I usually touch it as a symbol of well wishing for this old but healthy Carolinian tree. Just a few first tree thoughts.
(2) Shades of September 11, 2001. Will things ever be the same? The following was written when I was just a youth by English historian G.M. Trevelyan. “Two things are characteristic of this age.The conscious appreciation of natural beauty and the rapidity with which natural beauty is being destroyed.” Here in 2002 both characteristics have been accentuated. Man may end the world by trying to unravel most of the secrets of nature about the time he has succeeded in destroying nature. With the nuclear bomb ever present, anthrax, chemical weapons and along with who knows what other forms of mass destruction it means to me this time in our earthly history that man is not quite sure of the world’s future.
My faith lies in the power of an omniscient God. Yes, I refuse to give up on protecting our environment. “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid,” Psalm 56:11 To become obsessed with the eventual end of the earth I won’t waste my time worrying. It’s not in my hands.
(3) I love traveling. I believe that I find some enjoyment in every place I have visited or even revisited. When the late nature writer, Ed Teale, and his wife visited the northern tip of Scotland at John O’Groats, he was told how uninteresting he would find the landscape. Ed found it most fascinating and wrote about it more than once. My late father-in-law, Sid Kew, told me how he and his wife, Edna, enjoyed the trip up to that same Scottish tip. We never made it that far north but my wife loved the rugged Highlands of Scotland and Loch Ness area. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, eh. All kinds of country settings have their personal charms. “When the out-of-doors becomes boring it is due not to lack of interest inherent in the place but to a lack of recognition in the beholder.” Life is great and the natural settings are great. Enjoy the great outdoors in 2008! Don’t waste time worrying, eh.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Swans
Well I Swan Earl Plato
On a cold blustery day in mid-November we drove to Abino Bay. There they were!
Nestled in the bay and protected from the full force of lake Erie’s powerful winds we started the count. As we drove out for a closer looke the number of the giant swans grew. I said to nature partner, Bob Chambers, “There must be at least a 100 Whistling swans!” We continued on to the Bertie Boat Club and turned around. Bob in the passenger seat and with much better eyesight than I began the count.
The beautiful birds were grouped in pockets. Carefully Bob counted. 50, 60,70, 80, 90 and then over a 100. His count 118 farther out in the bay and then closer into shore, very close, Bob counted 23 more. In total 141 Trumpeter swans here in Fort Erie. How long will they stay? I imagine when the winds subside they will be on their way south. We will check them out tomorrow morning.
9:32 a.m.m Nov.17. Elaine and I head for Point Abino. Not one Whistling swan in sight! The winds have subsided some so it’s off again for our swans to warmer climes.
Each Fall large numbers of Whistling swans pause briefly on the Great Lakes before moving to their winter quarters along the Atlantic coast. They are closely related to the Trumpeter swan which has been reduced to near extinction. The Whistling or Tundra swan breeds in the Arctic tundra. Not many hunters there so it continues to thrive. The Trumpeter, however, breeds in our western provinces and is more accessible to hunters. Both these birds are magnificent species.
We plan to check Abino Bay on a regular basis. “Here today and gone tomorrow.” With a Timmy’s in hand it’s a good morning’s destination.
Bob Chambers and I could hear the mellow, rich bugling calls as they rested in the Abino Bay. Will others stop over? I hope so.
Drive out to the end of Point Abino Road and look for these great birds. You never know. My E-mail is changed. It’s earplato@enoreo.on.ca. Be in touch - nature wise.
***
Hockey weekend in Ontario. We headed out this Friday to see grandson, Jage Noble, play for the Niagara Falls Major PeeWee AAA in the Waterloo Tournament. That means Elaine and I will have some time to kill. Is it shopping for her and/or a nature ramble to Homer Watson Nature Park? This park is a fine example of Carolinian forest. There are fair-sized trees including one of my favourite species - an impressive “old growth” of Eastern hemlocks. High bluffs give an excellent view of the Grand River especially now this fall with most of the leaves down.
Shopping and a nature walk. Now I hope Niagara Falls wins the games.
On a cold blustery day in mid-November we drove to Abino Bay. There they were!
Nestled in the bay and protected from the full force of lake Erie’s powerful winds we started the count. As we drove out for a closer looke the number of the giant swans grew. I said to nature partner, Bob Chambers, “There must be at least a 100 Whistling swans!” We continued on to the Bertie Boat Club and turned around. Bob in the passenger seat and with much better eyesight than I began the count.
The beautiful birds were grouped in pockets. Carefully Bob counted. 50, 60,70, 80, 90 and then over a 100. His count 118 farther out in the bay and then closer into shore, very close, Bob counted 23 more. In total 141 Trumpeter swans here in Fort Erie. How long will they stay? I imagine when the winds subside they will be on their way south. We will check them out tomorrow morning.
9:32 a.m.m Nov.17. Elaine and I head for Point Abino. Not one Whistling swan in sight! The winds have subsided some so it’s off again for our swans to warmer climes.
Each Fall large numbers of Whistling swans pause briefly on the Great Lakes before moving to their winter quarters along the Atlantic coast. They are closely related to the Trumpeter swan which has been reduced to near extinction. The Whistling or Tundra swan breeds in the Arctic tundra. Not many hunters there so it continues to thrive. The Trumpeter, however, breeds in our western provinces and is more accessible to hunters. Both these birds are magnificent species.
We plan to check Abino Bay on a regular basis. “Here today and gone tomorrow.” With a Timmy’s in hand it’s a good morning’s destination.
Bob Chambers and I could hear the mellow, rich bugling calls as they rested in the Abino Bay. Will others stop over? I hope so.
Drive out to the end of Point Abino Road and look for these great birds. You never know. My E-mail is changed. It’s earplato@enoreo.on.ca. Be in touch - nature wise.
***
Hockey weekend in Ontario. We headed out this Friday to see grandson, Jage Noble, play for the Niagara Falls Major PeeWee AAA in the Waterloo Tournament. That means Elaine and I will have some time to kill. Is it shopping for her and/or a nature ramble to Homer Watson Nature Park? This park is a fine example of Carolinian forest. There are fair-sized trees including one of my favourite species - an impressive “old growth” of Eastern hemlocks. High bluffs give an excellent view of the Grand River especially now this fall with most of the leaves down.
Shopping and a nature walk. Now I hope Niagara Falls wins the games.
nature is calling
enjoy nature Earl Plato
At Bruce Beach a few years back just south of Kincardine on Lake Huron’s shore I would walk each morning down the lane to the road and a quarter of a mile to the news box. During those vacation mornings I observed something different each walk. However, one thing was a constant. I saw a cottontail more than once feeding on the neighbour’s succulent greens in his garden. One morning I stopped and watched the rabbit stop then go as it approached the garden patch. He would nibble first on a low lying bush bud, on a leaf, and then on a dandelion. Finally she would hop to the garden and settle down to feed on the vegetable smorgasbord.
Along this narrow lane I was quite close to our rabbit friend. One morning she reacted to my presence and without showing undue alarm moved toward the woods ahead of us. I quickened my pace. She watched me then disappeared into the cedar/pine woods.
Cedar waxwings, chickadees, blue jays greeted me. The spring flora had flowered, however, may apples still abounded. Weeds, strange weeds to me, grew along the edge of the rural road. I took some samples and later identified them. Morning walks were good to me.
Again the next morning at Bruce Beach the little cottontail greeted me for the fifth day about the same time. Are we establishing a relationship?
Enjoy nature while you can.
***
Bert Miller, noted area naturalist, told my father and me to hear famed American outdoorsman, Ellsworth Jaeger, at Fort Erie High School auditorium. He and Bert were personal friends. Ellsworth had written yet another nature book, Wildwood Wisdom. It is from that book I have selected edible plants and trees you can find in Marcy Woods.
At Bruce Beach a few years back just south of Kincardine on Lake Huron’s shore I would walk each morning down the lane to the road and a quarter of a mile to the news box. During those vacation mornings I observed something different each walk. However, one thing was a constant. I saw a cottontail more than once feeding on the neighbour’s succulent greens in his garden. One morning I stopped and watched the rabbit stop then go as it approached the garden patch. He would nibble first on a low lying bush bud, on a leaf, and then on a dandelion. Finally she would hop to the garden and settle down to feed on the vegetable smorgasbord.
Along this narrow lane I was quite close to our rabbit friend. One morning she reacted to my presence and without showing undue alarm moved toward the woods ahead of us. I quickened my pace. She watched me then disappeared into the cedar/pine woods.
Cedar waxwings, chickadees, blue jays greeted me. The spring flora had flowered, however, may apples still abounded. Weeds, strange weeds to me, grew along the edge of the rural road. I took some samples and later identified them. Morning walks were good to me.
Again the next morning at Bruce Beach the little cottontail greeted me for the fifth day about the same time. Are we establishing a relationship?
Enjoy nature while you can.
***
Bert Miller, noted area naturalist, told my father and me to hear famed American outdoorsman, Ellsworth Jaeger, at Fort Erie High School auditorium. He and Bert were personal friends. Ellsworth had written yet another nature book, Wildwood Wisdom. It is from that book I have selected edible plants and trees you can find in Marcy Woods.
Finches Anyone?
Finches Anyone? Earl Plato
Some of you might want to see the Shroud of Turin. Nothing wrong with that. I would like to see some of the songbirds that Sclence teacher, Lewis McKenzie, has
reported to me. Let’s take a walk through the city and along the picturesque Po river.
I reported seeing finches near Bristol, England and thanks to Jim McFarlane of Ridgeway giving me a bird magazine on his return from England. Lewis reports seeing English finches that I saw, #5 the Bullfinch and #6 the Green finch. He says, “both uncommon.” Then he records #8 the Goldfinch and #9 the Chaffinch and writes, “they are in our schoolyard and very common in our parks.” #8 the Goldfinch we know very well but the Chaffinch? This is a pretty bird with double white wing bars. It has a bluish gray head and pink underparts. It’s common in Europe but I have never seen one in North America. Lewis McKenzie adds #7 the Siskin, a little finch. I know Pine siskins. I wonder if they are the same.
#24 the Great Grey Shrike that is “not a songbird, but it eats them!!”
Oh I forgot #4 the Hawfinch “in our school yard!! but uncommon.”
Here’s a beautiful bird #29 the Skylark. Lewis sees it along the fields that line the Po before it enters Turin proper. It has one of the most beautifully long sustained songs. I have heard its cousin the Horned Lark in Wainfleet Marsh. The quality of the song is a liquid chir-r-rup as it flies. Iimagine the European Skylark’s song is even finer as it is recorded in English poetry and writings.
Some of you might want to see the Shroud of Turin. Nothing wrong with that. I would like to see some of the songbirds that Sclence teacher, Lewis McKenzie, has
reported to me. Let’s take a walk through the city and along the picturesque Po river.
I reported seeing finches near Bristol, England and thanks to Jim McFarlane of Ridgeway giving me a bird magazine on his return from England. Lewis reports seeing English finches that I saw, #5 the Bullfinch and #6 the Green finch. He says, “both uncommon.” Then he records #8 the Goldfinch and #9 the Chaffinch and writes, “they are in our schoolyard and very common in our parks.” #8 the Goldfinch we know very well but the Chaffinch? This is a pretty bird with double white wing bars. It has a bluish gray head and pink underparts. It’s common in Europe but I have never seen one in North America. Lewis McKenzie adds #7 the Siskin, a little finch. I know Pine siskins. I wonder if they are the same.
#24 the Great Grey Shrike that is “not a songbird, but it eats them!!”
Oh I forgot #4 the Hawfinch “in our school yard!! but uncommon.”
Here’s a beautiful bird #29 the Skylark. Lewis sees it along the fields that line the Po before it enters Turin proper. It has one of the most beautifully long sustained songs. I have heard its cousin the Horned Lark in Wainfleet Marsh. The quality of the song is a liquid chir-r-rup as it flies. Iimagine the European Skylark’s song is even finer as it is recorded in English poetry and writings.
"THE Jack"
Five Years Ago Nature by Eal Plto
We met Patty (Marcy) Richards, daughter of the late Dr. George and Elizabeth Marcy, in late May as we returned from a walk in Marcy Woods. She had no good news yet about the probable sale of the Woods. One of her parting comments to me was, “Keep up the writing.” I will.
***
Marcy Woods is a host to many edible plants. The late great Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller and Lake of Bay naturalist, Ernie Giles, formerly of Fort Erie, are two that epitomized the ability to “live off the land.” It was at Marcy Woods that I learned the truth of the “Jack-in-the-pulpit.” They grow profusely there. You know what they look
like.
I always told the story of a fellow boy scout, Jim, when on a ramble in Marcy Woods we would come across some “Jacks.” Jim had not listened to our scout master when he told us that the bulbous root when eaten raw would burn your mouth. Jim didn’t listen. Water wouldn’t relieve Jim’s pain as the tiny oxalic crystals penetrated his tongue. Along came Ernie Giles years ago and set me straight about this edible root of the “Jack.” Note above the word ‘raw’. Ernie said to me. “Did you know they call the Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
“Indian Turnip”? He informed me that when they boil or bake the root the oxalic crystals are removed and you have a nourishing food. Our native people would take the boiled or baked “Jack” root and let it dry. They would then pound it into flour.
In spring at Marcy Woods on the Lower Trail you find the green, fresh leaves of Wild Leeks. I take just one or two and enjoy the onion-like flavour. Our early settlers collected the leaves and made potato leek soup.
Many of you who have walked the Marcy Woods trails remember just before we start into the woods are a growing expanse of Marsh marigolds. More this year than before. Food? Yes. Again our early settlers found the plant was one of their favourite greens. Collected, they would boil the early tender leaves. Colonists would also pickle the flower buds.
Come to Marcy Woods in summer and you meet Stinging nettles. Know what I mean? A stinging rash on your exposed legs or arms can be the result if you’re not careful. Bert Miller loved nettles. Bert would cut young nettles in area fields (not in
Marcy Woods) and take a bundle home. He seemed not to mind the stingers. He would add them to other greens or soups for they have a good flavour when boiled.
Many of the Marcy Woods walkers recognize the young, curled up “fiddle heads” of the Interrupted ferns in spring. Picked when tender they taste like asparagus when boiled.
Hold it Plato! Marcy Woods is a private nature entity and we must find these natural goodies some place else where you are allowed to collect these natural foods.
Note: I have a list of some seventeen plants found in Marcy Woods whose roots and leaves are edible. I am sure our native peoples loved this place.
Bert and Ernie knew them all and more. Amazing men.
We met Patty (Marcy) Richards, daughter of the late Dr. George and Elizabeth Marcy, in late May as we returned from a walk in Marcy Woods. She had no good news yet about the probable sale of the Woods. One of her parting comments to me was, “Keep up the writing.” I will.
***
Marcy Woods is a host to many edible plants. The late great Fort Erie naturalist, Bert Miller and Lake of Bay naturalist, Ernie Giles, formerly of Fort Erie, are two that epitomized the ability to “live off the land.” It was at Marcy Woods that I learned the truth of the “Jack-in-the-pulpit.” They grow profusely there. You know what they look
like.
I always told the story of a fellow boy scout, Jim, when on a ramble in Marcy Woods we would come across some “Jacks.” Jim had not listened to our scout master when he told us that the bulbous root when eaten raw would burn your mouth. Jim didn’t listen. Water wouldn’t relieve Jim’s pain as the tiny oxalic crystals penetrated his tongue. Along came Ernie Giles years ago and set me straight about this edible root of the “Jack.” Note above the word ‘raw’. Ernie said to me. “Did you know they call the Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
“Indian Turnip”? He informed me that when they boil or bake the root the oxalic crystals are removed and you have a nourishing food. Our native people would take the boiled or baked “Jack” root and let it dry. They would then pound it into flour.
In spring at Marcy Woods on the Lower Trail you find the green, fresh leaves of Wild Leeks. I take just one or two and enjoy the onion-like flavour. Our early settlers collected the leaves and made potato leek soup.
Many of you who have walked the Marcy Woods trails remember just before we start into the woods are a growing expanse of Marsh marigolds. More this year than before. Food? Yes. Again our early settlers found the plant was one of their favourite greens. Collected, they would boil the early tender leaves. Colonists would also pickle the flower buds.
Come to Marcy Woods in summer and you meet Stinging nettles. Know what I mean? A stinging rash on your exposed legs or arms can be the result if you’re not careful. Bert Miller loved nettles. Bert would cut young nettles in area fields (not in
Marcy Woods) and take a bundle home. He seemed not to mind the stingers. He would add them to other greens or soups for they have a good flavour when boiled.
Many of the Marcy Woods walkers recognize the young, curled up “fiddle heads” of the Interrupted ferns in spring. Picked when tender they taste like asparagus when boiled.
Hold it Plato! Marcy Woods is a private nature entity and we must find these natural goodies some place else where you are allowed to collect these natural foods.
Note: I have a list of some seventeen plants found in Marcy Woods whose roots and leaves are edible. I am sure our native peoples loved this place.
Bert and Ernie knew them all and more. Amazing men.
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