National Take A Walk In The Park day

Yesterday, March 30, I was on my way out to Rondeau. On my way out, I overheard the radio DJ say that it was national Take A Walk In The Park Day.......hey....it sounded like a great idea, so I kept on going. As if I needed an excuse.....

My intent for this visit wasn't necessarily to check off as many birds as possible, although I am always on the lookout for them. I went out the South Point Trail at first, but with the southerly winds off the frozen lake, it was quite cold, and birds were few. There were a handful of ducks in some of the open leads well out from shore, but virtually no land birds put in an appearance along the trail.

Later I went along the Tuliptree Trail....it was considerably warmer and out of the wind. There were a ton of grackles, cowbirds and redwings around, and even a few Rusties, the first I had seen this spring.

Red-winged Blackbird

This upturned mossy Silver Maple root along the western most part of the trail often gets my attention.

At ground level there isn't much greenery these days, which makes things like this moss stand out. I'm not sure exactly what kind it is, but it may be Rock Spike Moss.

 One of my goals this trip was to start surveying the big trees that might qualify as old growth. There are a number of characteristics of a woodland that indicate old growth. Size matters, of course, in the context of trunk diameter. Age of the tree matters as well, but is difficult to determine unless one cuts a cross section to count the rings or has a tool called an increment corer, which drills a very small core out of the trunk. Age and size are not always directly related, as the site a tree grows on makes a huge difference, depending on the growing conditions. But the growth habit also matters, as do the bark characteristics, the amount of fallen log material on the ground in the general area, as well as the lack of disturbance on the ground and the diversity and abundance of ferns. Of course there aren't many ferns visible so early in the season. But on many of my previous hikes, I have noticed an abundance of large diameter trees. So I have taken it upon myself, with the park's blessing and encouragement, to begin to document as many large diameter trees as I can. And since it is much easier to see them when there are no leaves to contend with, and the snow is mostly gone from the forest floor, now is the time to make progress.

I had made up a template to record information such as species name, diameter at breast height (officially at 1.4 m above ground) and GPS coordinates. In many cases, large diameter trees that might qualify for old growth status in the current era would be anywhere from 50 - 100 cm dbh. Anything that would be in that range historically would be considered small, however. Here is one of the largest trees of the last century, a Sycamore. Just before it died in the late 1960s, it measured over 167 cm dbh. The photo was taken in 1908.

 This next one was a White Pine that measured about 152 cm dbh at the time it was cut. Three people were able to sit inside the stump.

I thought that looking for trees in excess of 150 cm dbh might be a lost cause, so I decided that anything over 60 cm might qualify. I knew I could find a few that would be greater than 100 cm since I had noted a few during some hiking last fall.

Checking along roads, trails and such is the easiest way to cover the territory most efficiently. But there are a lot of specimens not visible from any road or trail. That is when it gets even more fun, because it gets one into areas that few people have spent much time in. And so my first area to target was along a wide ridge north of Gardiner Ave where an old access trail from many decades ago occurred. It hasn't been used for anything for at least 30 years, and for all intents and purposes, doesn't exist as a trail of any sort. I had gotten wind of a particularly large tree about a kilometre in from the nearest road, and so that is where I headed.

There were lots of decent sized trees along the way, many of which qualified, and I began measuring. I found American Beech, Basswood, White Oak and Tuliptree that were in the 65-80 cm range, so I duly recorded their vital statistics, And I came across a huge Red Oak. This one measured 134 cm! It was actually in pretty good shape, too. To get an idea of scale, you can see my notebook at the bottom. Next time I will take a tripod and get myself in it for a better sense of scale.

This Red Oak is the largest tree I have measured in the park so far. I did come across a Tuliptree last December that measured 125 cm, although I think there are larger ones of this species, as well as Silver Maple, which don't live long but grow to large size in a relatively short time.

Tuliptree, 125 cm dbh

 I knew there were some large trees in the campground, and thought there might be a few birds as well. This very large Black Oak caught my attention. It measured 102 cm dbh. And there are larger ones that I didn't get to yet.

There were a few birds in the campground, but the brisk cold wind kept them under cover for the most part. A few robins were around, as were many Song Sparrows, and this Red-bellied Woodpecker.

I came across a couple of Eastern Bluebirds, a male and a female. But they didn't cooperate for a photo. While trying to get close enough for a photo of the bluebirds, I came across this colourful nest of a Baltimore Oriole that persisted from 2014. Apparently someone from the campground must have left some deteriorating tent or tarp material behind last year, and the oriole added a few long strips to the nest. It was in remarkably good shape, especially considering how exposed to sun, winter winds, snow and rain it would have been subject to for most of a year. It is certainly testament to the durability of this species' engineering skills.

I hadn't actually been aware of National Take A Walk In The Park Day before, but now I will put it on my calendar!

Avian nesting is underway!

Yesterday I went out and headed towards Thamesville. On my way out of town, I noted that a heronry of Great Blues, a bit north of Longwoods Road and a few kilometres east of town, had some Great Blues flying around, and with some birds on the nest. I'm not sure if the Great Blues were actually nesting yet, but the process is underway. This heronry has been active for quite a few years....at least a couple of decades. There are at least 50 nests in this woodlot, well away from the highway but reasonably visible from a considerable distance before the leaves are out. Binoculars certainly help. It isn't the greatest shot, as it was a long way away. The focal length was the equivalent of 800mm, and it was cropped after I got home. Also the light was a poor angle making the focus difficult, and since the nests are spread out so much, only half a dozen nests are visible here.

 My main reason for heading out this way was to photograph the Bald Eagle's nest which is just a few kilometres east of Thamesville. I posted about it a few weeks ago. It is in an old oxbow between the highway and the river. While passing by it a few days ago, I noted that there was an adult on it, in an incubating position! So the nesting season is underway!

View from Longwoods Road

Closer, but still not as close as I would like.

It will be fairly easy to keep tabs on this nest, at least before the leaves emerge.

I wanted to know if this was the same pair that usually nests a bit farther downstream, closer to Kent Bridge. So I drove along the south side of the river to the north end of Scane Road. The nest is farther from the road and difficult to see except from a very specific angle, so I didn't even attempt a photo. But that nest also had an adult eagle on it, sitting as if it was protecting something. So it is definitely a different pair. It is so nice to see that this species is continuing to thrive, compared to the dismal prospects it had in the 1960s through the 1980s.

There is a fair bit of good habitat along the Thames River, and nesting pairs are popping up here and there. The river is entirely open now, but the levels are a bit lower than normal so there isn't a major current compared to most years at this time. Flooding anywhere was almost non-existent, even in the floodplain areas.

Taken from the edge of a trestle just west of Thamesville

 I looped around to the Ridgetown Sewage Lagoons, but there wasn't much to see. Lots of Canada Geese and three Cackling Geese on the berm, but other than that, only 4 Mallards and 2 Redhead. Most of the ponds were still frozen solid, which may change if the weather prognosticators are remotely correct in the next few days.

Today I took a look around Mitchell's Bay. Finally the lake is starting to open up. I didn't even see anyone ice fishing today, although there were a couple of vehicles in the parking lot which looked suspicious. But in a sizeable open area north of Mitchell's Bay were a lot of ducks. I estimated at least 1200 Canvasback, and a handful of Redhead, Common Merganser, Ring-necked, both scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Mallard and American Black. But they were way too far for a photograph....it was all I could do to see them well through the 'scope.

I checked the Angler Line area, just in case the Yellow-headed Blackbirds were there. It really is a bit too early, but one never knows. I didn't see any, although there were a bunch of Red-wings. There were ducks around, including Wood Duck, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall and American Wigeon among others. I also saw three Double-crested Cormorants fly over.

I continued towards St. Clair NWA. Along Rivard Line just north of SCNWA, there were several hundred Canada Geese feeding in the corn stubble. Some white flashes caught my eye, and they turned out to be Snow Geese....5 of them.

I walked the trail at the NWA. It was really starting to get windy, as I knew a front was approaching. Just as I started down the trail, I heard, then saw, two Sandhill Cranes. They were too far away to attempt a photo, and I saw them land over in the St. Luke's Marsh area. I heard and saw them a couple of other times. Other than that, it was the usual mix of waterfowl, but it is always nice to see Ring-necked and Wood Ducks, although none of them were all that close. And with the deteriorating weather, it wasn't likely to be worth attempting a photograph.

I made it to the viewing tower, but lots of the NWA is still frozen up and there weren't a lot of ducks. I did see an adult Bald Eagle in a tree along the lake. Just as I got back to the car, the wind picked up and the snow pellets started flying around! Winter isn't going to let us out of its clutches quite yet, it seems. And while driving slightly east of the NWA towards home, I saw presumably the same 5 Snow Geese being buffetted as they flew into the wind, and I only got a tail end shot of them against a very bland sky mixed with snow.

 So eagles are nesting, and Great Blues will be shortly. Others will be soon as well, including American Woodcock and American Robins, Mourning Doves, Killdeer, Horned Lark, various waterfowl and raptors.

It's a favourite time of year...

....well maybe not everybody's.....it is income tax time! For some, perhaps many, that will mean a tax refund.

I just recently pulled all of my 2014 income tax information together to submit. And if all goes according to plan, I will indeed get at least a reasonable chunk of $$ back. Part of this is because of charitable donations.

Charitable organizations and volunteers are extremely important. If it weren't for them, our natural resources, for example, would be in a lot more perilous condition than they are.

I expect that many readers already do what they can to support these and other worthwhile organizations, such as:
-supporting financially through membership or financial support beyond membership dues;
-volunteering time and energy in a variety of ways, whether it is towards citizen science, or using ones business, organizational or science skills.

Here in southwestern Ontario, there are many groups making a difference on the landscape or in the knowledge and understanding of our natural resources. One of the best ways to make a difference is to acquire and manage natural areas. During my career with OMNR, I think people within the organization got tired of hearing some of my mantras, such as:

"Dealing with Species At Risk instead of Spaces At Risk is like treating a life-threatening disease with an aspirin."

and 

"If governments at all levels put half of the $$ that has gone towards creating and administering the provincial Endangered Species Act or federal Species At Risk Act into acquiring and properly managing natural areas, many of the species at risk issues both now and in the future would be taken care of."

Unfortunately there is far more bureaucracy to always make the biggest difference on the landscape. There are many provincial parks and nature reserves, but there are way too many significant sites slipping through the cracks. Fortunately, non-government organizations can act more quickly, and have a more active agenda, which has made a huge difference!
 
So those organizations that actively acquire and manage property are high up on my priority list to support in whatever way I can.  

On a national and international scale, it is hard to beat the Nature Conservancy. Internationally seashores, canyonlands, woodlands, wetlands and prairies, where in fact the bison still do roam, are in far better shape than they were before NCC became involved.

Bison on Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma

On a national scale, property has been acquired by NCC coast to coast to coast to coast. For example in southern Ontario, major acquisitions have taken place in the Backus Woods area of Norfolk County, which is the stronghold for the endangered Cucumber Magnolia in Canada.

Cucumber Magnolia

Old growth forest in Norfolk County

at Clear Creek in Chatham-Kent 

Clear Creek Forest

and the Bickford Oak Woods in Lambton, with its large size and mosaic of forested wetlands, just to name a few. 

Bickford Oak Woods

Having worked with various NCC staff during my time with OMNR, I can say I was always very impressed by the knowledge and passion they had towards natural areas. Check out their web site for more information:  www.natureconservancy.ca

Land trusts have many of the same goals and approaches that NCC does, but concentrate on a more local scale. Some of the more active ones in the local area include:

Walpole Island Land Trust, focusing on some of the best quality prairie and savanna they have literally in their back yard. http://walpolelandtrust.com/

Walpole Island tallgrass prairie

 The Canada South Land Trust focuses primarily on Essex but is also interested in Chatham-Kent. www.canadasouthlandtrust.org

The Thames Talbot Land Trust is involved in a number of worthwhile project areas in Middlesex, Elgin and Lambton. www.thamestalbotlandtrust.ca

Skunk's Misery, where TTLT works

Virginia Bluebells, a rare plant at a TTLT site

Carolinian Canada has been around since 1984, and works with a huge number of like-minded organizations, and local governments, as well as private landowners to facilitate positive changes to natural areas within the Carolinian Life Zone. Check them out at: http://caroliniancanada.ca/

Dedicating a part of Skunk's Misery

Wetland along a trail being inventoried by Carolinian Canada

Old field/prairie along a trail being inventoried by Carolinian Canada

The Friends of Rondeau, established in 1985, supports many aspects of natural heritage education at Rondeau. This includes operating a sales outlet featuring natural heritage items as well as hosting birding related events at Rondeau (e.g. the Wings of Spring just a few days ago; birding hikes for several weeks in May), a butterfly festival in September to celebrate the Monarch, the butterfly count in mid-summer, and supports other natural heritage education events. You can learn more about them at: http://www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca/

Scarlet Tanager

Leading a bird hike at Rondeau

Banded Monarch

Bird Studies Canada started out as the Long Point Bird Observatory many decades ago, but has since expanded its vision substantially. It initiates and carries out many scientific projects; it designs and sponsors many citizen science projects relating to birds and wetlands in particular. 

Red-headed Woodpecker

 BSC has been monitoring Tree Swallow nesting success at Long Point for decades.

BSC has expanded its influence across Canada, and is increasingly recognized internationally for its major science-based efforts towards education as well as contributions towards protecting birds and their habitats wherever they may be. Having worked along side some of the BSC staff in inter-agency projects, I can say without hesitation that the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and devoted. For more information see: http://bsc-eoc.org/

There are numerous other groups doing great work, far too many to include them all here. Many local naturalist clubs are doing phenomenal things within their areas of interest and geographic location. And of course the Ontario Field Ornithologists, in existence since the early 1980s, has made major contributions in the documentation of birds (e.g. Breeding Bird Atlas, Ontario Bird Records Committee) as well as education and hosting numerous field events. See more at: http://www.ofo.ca/

So if you can, please give generously to one or more of these fine groups, whether it be financially, via time and expertise or in some other way. If you enjoy natural areas and the plants and creatures that depend on them, you will be doing yourself a favour as well. And you just might get a bigger income tax refund next year!

The demise of river ice

It is interesting to see the stages that the river goes through as spring arrives. There has been sooo much ice everywhere for so long.

But finally where there is flowing water, the ice is disappearing. This first image shows the state of the Thames River at Chatham. With the exception of a bit of ice clinging to the edges, the water is completely open with a good flow.

Downstream a bit, at Prairie Siding, it looks a bit different. There is some open water, but the channel is clogged with various sized chunks of dirt-brown ice that has been broken off

Just a short distance farther along it is completely choked off with chunks of ice.

And a bit farther, it doesn't appear as if there is much change at all.....it looks like it did for most of the winter....relatively smooth solid ice.

In fact it was like this all the way to the mouth of the river and out into the lake. But if one looked closely in spots, there were a few very small open areas where one could see a fairly strong current flowing just beneath the ice. It is at this stage where the ice is the most dangerous. No one in their right mind would venture out onto the ice in the first 2-3 photos, but with the ice looking like this last photo, one might be tempted to get a last bit of ice-fishing in. And in fact at Lighthouse Cove, there were people out on the ice on the lake...they had even driven their ATVs out! But with the fast flowing current under the ice, it is deteriorating from underneath more quickly than from above, and one would be very foolhardy to go out under these conditions.

A small creek along the road going to the Jeannette's Creek boat launch had some open water, and under the tangle of branches on the far side were three male Hooded Mergansers, but too shy to show themselves completely.

At Erieau, it is the same story, but on a different scale. The ice on the lake and the bay is still fairly intact. However the water flows steadily through the channel in either direction, depending on the wind and wave action out in the lake. As a result the ice is totally gone in the channel, which allows for recently arrived waterfowl to use the sheltered conditions to rest, feed and court. There was a small variety of several species a day or two ago. Common Mergansers were by far the most numerous, with about 160 birds seen, along with much smaller numbers of others species.

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Goldneye

Bufflehead

Lesser Scaup

Mallard

Typically at this time of year, there are thousands of Tundra Swans in the air or on the bay or in flooded fields in the area. I recall years ago, while sitting at my desk in the Visitor Centre with the windows closed, I could hear the din of swans. They were about three kilometres away out in the southern end of the marsh and bay, but the noise was memorable. I'm not sure whether that was in indication that my hearing was much better then, or the sound proofness of the Visitor Centre was that poor....regardless, it was an event to remember. I took the time to walk out the south beach to see what the racket was all about. There were at least 10,000 swans, and several thousand geese and ducks as well, totalling 16000-17000 birds. My field notes said the date was March 30, 1978, so maybe there is still time for some good numbers to appear.

This year has been somewhat different.....it seems every year is in its own way. We've had our share of precipitation in the form of snow over the winter, but in reality it has been quite dry lately. Therefore there are few flooded fields, and with the bay still frozen pretty solid, there are few swans using the area. This is also the case in the former Dover Township, northwest of Chatham. In some years, especially those years when the Thames River flooded its banks, there were many hundreds of hectares of flooded cornfields. The swans, geese and ducks numbered in the tens of thousands, and if one could access a road that wasn't closed due to the flooding, it was fabulous...probably the premiere place for waterfowl viewing that year, but at the expense of many local human residents being inundated by flood waters, unfortunately. This year you are hard pressed to find any standing water in the fields. And so there are very few swans in Chatham-Kent this year, at least so far.

I did find a few hundred swans a few days ago in Dover, which had attracted swans, geese and ducks, including these snow geese. There are three snows and two blues, towards the far side of the wet spot and on the left hand side of the photo.

My most recent trip by that place has shown that there is even less water now, and fewer ducks. But the occasional Killdeer and Turkey Vulture was in the area!

Happy spring everyone!

Green Heron....2015 Bird of the Year

I got my latest issue of Birding magazine in the mail earlier this week, the colourful and informative publication every member of the American Birding Association receives several times a year. Over the last few years, ABA has identified a particular species as the Bird of the Year.

For 2015, it is the Green Heron!

The Green Heron is one of my favourite species. It isn't large and showy like other members of the heron group is. In fact it is about the smallest of the ones here in North America. I find them very furtive, with such an intense, piercing look to its face. They seem almost neckless, until they dart out after a small fish or frog. I love hearing their distinctive 'call', a fairly quiet and slightly descending throaty 'kowwww', rather than the raucous croaks and kraaks of its much larger relatives. And as common and widespread as they are, they are surprisingly hard to find sometimes, especially when one is doing a big day and that box beside its name on the list sits unchecked at the end of the day. Yet at other times, they just pop into view and seem quite tolerant of people.

From a distance, depending on the light, they may look almost totally dark. But when seen up close, they are surprisingly colourful. The yellow on the facial area, the chestnut brown upper body, the dark green rest of the upper body, and the light and striped or fairly solid chestnut, depending on age, underside are an attractive combination.

Many heron species nest in colonies, but Green Herons seldom do, and even then they would be very few in number. They nest in a variety of situations, but almost always quite close to water. They prefer shrubbery, and have even been known to nest in a cedar hedge close to a cottage! I've found the occasional nest, and was first able to get some photos of them in action back in June of 1976, at Rondeau. This next photo is the result of that experience, as the nest was built at about eye level in a large buttonbush, a common shrub of a high quality wetland.

It is a scanned photo, obviously, and doesn't reflect the true colours and details as well as it might. Also, the nest was in fairly bright, mid-day sunlight so the light conditions were a little harsher than ideal. Lots of direct sunlight during June can be hard on the newly hatched birds, so this adult was standing over the chicks covering them to protect them from the intense sunlight and heat generated from it.

So hats off to the ABA 2015 Bird of the Year!

Green Heron successfully fishing