Your nature guide for the week July 12-July 18
Mammals
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Raccoon Image: Hopscotch Interactive |
Young Raccoons are venturing out into the
Preserve after being confined to their tree dens since their birth in
late March. You may see them at dusk as they head out to feed, or
find their tracks, with tell-tale long fingers, in the mud around the
pond. The young animals have been weaned, but remain with Mum in
family groups until winter.
The big Crack Willows at Todmorden provide ideal den sites for raccoons
and there is likely to be at least five families in the Preserve. The
Toronto population has been variously estimated at between
16,000-40,000 animals.
Trees and Shrubs
In the meadow above the parking lot some of the Staghorn Sumac
clumps are sporting fresh bright-red fruit.
The fruit won't be ripe until late summer and it usually persists through
winter; it is only eaten by birds as a last resort.
Clumps grow by suckering from the roots, and they can get so dense that
they create deep shade. This is turn inhibits grass growth and provides
good nursery conditions for tree seedlings. In this way, Sumac clumps may
speed up the forest regeneration of old fields and meadows.
The berries of the Red-osier
Dogwood, a native shrub, have ripened to cream-colour and are providing
food for the new crop of young Robins and Grey Catbirds. The birds
act as unwitting dispersal agents for the seeds embedded inside the
tasty fruit. While this helps the restoration efforts at Todmorden,
birds are also feeding on Tartarian Honeysuckle
berries at present and dispersing this pernicious invader around the
Preserve.
Wildflowers
In the woodland trail, look for the native Fringed
Loosestrife with "nodding" yellow flowers. It
especially likes it in forest clearings and seepage areas.
The Orange Day Lily has recently started flowering at
Todmorden. Each flower opens for a day, then withers and dries to a wisp
overnight; fresh flowers will be produced for the next several weeks.
This garden escape has the potential to spread, form dense clumps and
exclude native plants, but for now it remains restricted to a few patches
at the edges of the meadow. Close by, the native Michigan
Lily stands out among the rank vegetation in the dry
meadow. Its burnt-orange flower faces downwards and is heavily spotted.
Birds
It usually pays to look up, way up, above Todmorden in summer.
The hot weather creates thermals above the Don Valley, and provides
excellent soaring conditions for Turkey Vulture
and Red-tailed Hawk.
Turkey Vultures are black, glide for long periods without ever needing to flap,
and hold the wings well above horizontal in a V.
With binoculars, you may see the naked, pink head.
In contrast, the Red-tailed Hawk appears brown, and it glides with wings held
more horizontally.
You may catch the red tail, especially when a bird fans it to
manoeuvre.
While both spend much of their time flying up and down the valley,
they hunt quite differently.
The Red-tailed Hawk catches mice and rats in the fields, meadows and
roadsides and relies on keen eyesight.
The Turkey Vulture scavenges road-killed mammals, and locates these
primarily by smell.
Nature Notes is researched and written by Mike
Dennison and Alejandro Lynch, and is published each week
by Hopscotch Interactive (www.hopscotch.ca). In
addition to this online version, Nature Notes is
available as a print-friendly PDF and as a text-only email
version. Please contact Mike Dennison to receive these,
or for more info (tel: 416-696-7230, email: dennison@hopscotch.ca).