FEATURES - Toronto Field Naturalists · Investigate forests and water features, human and natural....

Number 564, May 2009

REGULARS

Coming Events 25 Extracts from Outings Reports 20 For Reading 19 From the Archives 23 Keeping in Touch 17 Monthly Meetings Notice 3 Monthly Meeting Report 14 President’s Report 12 TFN Outings 4 Weather – This Time Last Year 24

FEATURES

Ideas from Leaders’ Workshop 9 Nominating Committee Report 13 Garlic Mustard Removal 15 Bird of the Month – Black-throated Blue Warbler

16

Tommy Thompson Park 18 Citizen Science 21 Membership Renewal 27

Offshore sanctuary, watercolour by Gail Gregory

TFN 564-2 Toronto Field Naturalist May 2009

Toronto Field Naturalist is published by the Toronto Field Naturalists, a charitable, non-profit organization, the aims of which are to stimulate public interest in natural history and to encourage the preservation of our natural heritage. Issued monthly September to December and February to May. Views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those of the editor or Toronto Field Naturalists. The Newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper. ISSN 0820-636X IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER! We welcome contributions of original writing, up to 500 words, of observations on nature in and around Toronto, reviews, poems, sketches, paintings, and photographs of TFN outings (digital or print, include date and place). Include your name, address and phone number so submissions can be acknowledged. Send by mail or email. Deadline for submissions for September issue: August 7. NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Jenny Bull (co-editor), Eva Davis, Karin Fawthrop, Nancy Fredenburg, Elisabeth Gladstone, Mary Lieberman, Ruth Munson, Marilynn Murphy, Toshi Oikawa, Wendy Rothwell (co-editor).

Printing and mailing: Perkins Mailing Services

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Wendy Rothwell Past President Pinky Franklin Vice President Bob Kortright Sec.-Treasurer Corley Phillips Nature Reserves George Bryant Communications Alexander Cappell Monthly Lectures Nancy Dengler Outings Gail Gregory Outings and Web-master

Margaret McRae

Marcus Feak Elisabeth

Gladstone

Barry Mitchell MEMBERSHIP FEES $30 STUDENT, SENIOR SINGLE (65+) $40 SINGLE, SENIOR FAMILY (2 adults, 65+) $50 FAMILY (2 adults – same address, children included)

No GST. Tax receipts issued for donations. Send membership fees and address changes to the TFN office. Please note: TFN does not give out its membership list.

New Toronto Parks and Trails Map The new Exploring Toronto's Parks & Trails map will be launched on the morning of Sunday, May 3, at Todmorden Mills Museum & Arts Centre, 67 Pottery Road. This will coincide with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority's visually spectacular annual “Paddle the Don” event.

Toronto Field Naturalists 2 Carlton St., # 1519, Toronto M5B 1J3

Tel: 416-593-2656 Web: www.torontofieldnaturalists.org

Email: [email protected]

http://www.torontofieldnaturalists.org

mailto:[email protected]

May 2009 Toronto Field Naturalist TFN 564-3

TFN MEETING

Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 2:30 pm

The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada Lorraine Johnson, editor of The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada:

Discovering the Rich Natural Diversity of Ontario’s Southwestern Heartland

VISITORS WELCOME!

SOCIAL: 2:00 – 2:30 pm Bring your own mug for coffee or tea if you wish. Only paper cups provided.

Donations are appreciated to offset the cost of refreshments.

Room 001, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto, 75 Queen’s Park Cres. East

Emmanuel College is just south of the Museum subway station exit (east side of Queen’s Park). Enter at south end of building, down a few steps on outside stairwell. Wheelchair entrance: second door south on Queen’s Park. Elevator inside to the right. Room 001 is one floor below street level. For information: call 416-593-2656 up to noon on the Friday preceding the lecture.

Upcoming TFN Monthly Meetings

September 13 The Importance of Parks Ralph Toninger, Senior Project Manager, Restoration Services, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

October 4 Sixty Years of Birding in Toronto – What Changes We Have Seen George Bryant, TFN Board Member and life-long birder

November 1 The Carden Alvar: A Rural Oasis Ron Reid, Executive Director of the Couchiching Conservancy

December 6 Aiming high (and dry): The Nature Conservancy of Canada Conservation Projects on the Oak Ridges Moraine Mark Stabb, Program Manager for Central Ontario, Nature Conservancy of Canada

February 7 Toronto’s Urban Forests

Andy Kenney, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto

March 7 Towards a Bar-coded world Paul Hebert, Project Leader, Canadian Barcode of Life Network and Director, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario

April 11 Disturbing the Disturbed:

Using Biological Control to Recover our Invaded Forests Sandy Smith, Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto and international expert on biological control

May 2 The Appalachians and Their Margins

Peter Money, TFN member, retired geologist, enthusiastic nature photographer and amateur naturalist.


TFN OUTINGS

Saturday May 2 10:30 a.m.

EDWARDS GARDENS AND WILKET CREEK PARK– Nature Arts Leader: Mary Taylor Meet at the entrance to Edwards Gardens, south side of Lawrence Ave., west of Leslie St. Bring what you need for sketching, painting, writing or photography. Bring lunch, or money for food in the cafe of the TBG. Bring any work you wish to share with the group at lunch. Nature walk will continue in the afternoon.

Sunday May 3 2:30 p m.

LECTURE – The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada Speaker: Lorraine Johnson Emmanuel College, 75 Queen’s Park Cres. E. See page 3.

Monday May 4 6:45 p m.

JANE JACOBS TRIBUTE WALK – Evening Ramble Leaders: Pleasance Crawford and Helen Juhola Meet at the north end of Glencairn subway station, south side of Glencairn Ave. Bring binoculars. Walk includes Cedarvale Ravine and ends at St. Clair West subway station.

Friday May 8 1:30 p m.

PROSPECT CEMETERY – Nature and Built Heritage Leader: Pleasance Crawford Walk will begin and end at the cemetery entrance on St. Clair Ave. W., at the north end of Lansdowne Ave. Bring binoculars.


ROUGE PARK – Spring Wildflowers Leader: Peter Money Meet at Pearse House, 1749 Meadowvale Rd. TTC recommended as parking will be limited due to another event. Bus #85B Sheppard East from Sheppard subway station or 86A from Kennedy subway station. Bring lunch. Binoculars optional but welcome. This is planned to be a 3- to 4-hour circular walk. It includes trails on some moderately steep slopes.


TAYLOR CREEK PARK – Wildflowers Leader: Melanie Milanich Meet on Victoria Park Ave. at the subway exit. Walk will end at Thorncliffe Park.

Tuesday May 12 10:00 a.m.

BELT LINE – Nature walk Leader: Jack Radecki Meet at beltline entrance of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, just south of Davisville subway station (from subway, exit south to traffic lights at bridge, cross Yonge St., climb stairs to wrought iron gates). We will view trees, arboretum plantings, urban forests and associated wildlife. Bring binoculars. Morning only.

Thursday May 14 6:30 p m.

MORNINGSIDE PARK – Evening Ramble Leader: Orval White Meet by the washrooms near the first parking lot, west of the park entrance on Morningside Ave., south of Ellesmere Ave. and north of Kingston Rd. A 2-hour loop walk.

• TFN events are conducted by unpaid volunteers. • The club assumes no responsibility for injuries sustained by anyone participating in our activities. • Children and visitors are welcome at all TFN events. Children must be accompanied by an adult. • If you plan to bring children in a stroller, be aware that there may be steps or other unsuitable terrain. • Please do not bring pets. • To get to outings on time, check TTC routes and schedules by calling 416-393-4636. • Outings go rain or shine: check the weather by calling 416-661-0123 so you will know what to wear. • Wear appropriate footwear for walking on trails which may be muddy, steep or uneven.



DON VALLEY – Nature Walk Leader: Margaret McRae Meet at the northeast corner of Beechwood Dr. and O’Connor Dr., west of Pape Ave. This will be a circular trip to the Forks of the Don, partly on narrow informal trails. Those who wish may drop out at Don Mills/Gateway or Thorncliffe Park. Bring lunch and binoculars.


LOWER DON VALLEY - Lost Rivers Walk Leader: John Routh Meet at Broadview subway station. We will walk north towards Pottery Rd. and along trails from Todmorden Mills to Crothers’ Woods. Investigate forests and water features, human and natural. Moderate exertion required. Duration: 2-3 hours. This is a joint walk with the Toronto Green Community.

Wednesday May 20 10:00 a.m.

G. ROSS LORD PARK– Birds and Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet at the northeast corner of Finch Ave. W. and Dufferin St. Bring lunch and binoculars.

Thursday May 21 6:45 p m.

CEDARVALE RAVINE - Evening Ramble Leader Ruth Munson Meet at Heath St. exit of St. Clair West subway station.

Friday May 22 10:00 a.m. +

WARDEN WOODS – Garlic Mustard Pull (see page 15) Leader: Bob Kortright Meet at the southwest corner of Warden Ave. and St. Clair Ave. E., opposite Warden subway station.

Friday May 22 10:00 a.m.

SOUTH HUMBER PARK – Garlic Mustard Pull (see page 15) Leader: Wendy Rothwell Meet at park entrance on Stephen Drive opposite Cloverhill Rd. (TTC bus #66 ‘Prince Edward’ from Old Mill subway station or the Humber Streetcar Loop.)

Saturday May 23 9:00 a.m. +

LESLIE STREET SPIT – Birds and Nature Leader: Bob Kortright Meet at the park entrance at Leslie St. and Unwin Ave. Bring lunch and binoculars. A joint hike with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club. Expect a much faster pace than our usual walks.


HIGHLAND CREEK AND EAST POINT PARK – Nature walk Leader: Blair Campbell Meet at the southeast corner of Lawrence Ave. E. and Beechgrove Dr. We will focus on birds and landforms. Bring lunch and binoculars.


EAST DON PARKLANDS – Nature walk Leader: Phil Goodwin Meet at Second Cup in the plaza on the south side of Steeles Ave. E. at Laureleaf Rd. We will visit the old forest, the East Don River, German Mills Creek and restoration projects. Duration: about 2 ½ hours.

Wednesday May 27 6:45 p m.

FINCH HYDRO CORRIDOR – Topography Leader: Alexander Cappell Meet at the northwest corner of Don Mills Ave. and Finch Ave. E. Walk will end at Bayview Ave. (near a coffee shop) between Finch Ave. E. and Cummer Ave. TTC bus stops abound at both ends.

Thursday May 28 10:00 a.m.

EDWARDS GARDENS – Spring Rhododendrons Leader: Kathleen Fall Meet at southwest corner of Leslie St. and Lawrence Ave. E. Bring camera and binoculars. Morning only.


MILLIKEN MILLS PARK – Birds and Nature Leader: Mohammad Ansari Meet at the southeast corner of McCowan Rd. and Steeles Ave. E. TTC bus # 129 north from Scarborough Town Centre to Steeles, or bus #53 Steeles East to McCowan. Drivers may enter park on McCowan just south of Steeles or on Steeles east of McCowan. Bring binoculars and snack. Morning only.



LAMBTON WOODS – Wildflowers Leader: Leslie Fitzgibbons Meet in front of the washrooms at the entrance to James Gardens on Edenbridge Dr., east of Royal York Rd.

Tuesday June 2 6:45 p m.

WATERFRONT NATURE WALK – Evening Ramble Leader: Peter Iveson Meet at the southwest corner of Bathurst St. and Queen’s Quay W. beside the monument in Little Norway Park. We will visit several waterfront gardens, ending at the Music Garden.

Thursday June 4 10:00 a.m. +

HIGH PARK – Nature Walk Leader: Wendy Rothwell Meet at the park entrance on the south side of Bloor St. W. at High Park Ave. Bring lunch and binoculars. We hope to see the blue lupines in bloom.

Thursday June 4 6:45 p m.

TODMORDEN MILLS WILDFLOWER PRESERVE – Evening Ramble Leader: Paula Davies Meet at the bridge in Todmorden Mills on the south side of Pottery Road, down the hill from Broadview Ave.

Saturday June 6 10:30 a.m.

TOPHAM PARK IN EGLINTON FLATS – Nature Arts Leaders: Anne Byzko and Nancy Anderson Meet in the parking lot that runs off a turn in the driveway on the south side of Eglinton Ave. W., 300 yards east of Jane St., between Weston Rd. and Jane St. There is a big white-domed building (tennis club) as a landmark (there is no signage). This will be a circular route: plein air art, writing, photography or just enjoying this small pond. In the morning we can sketch, write, photograph or walk around the pond. Bring lunch and water and any work you want to share.

Sunday June 7 2:00 p m.

MORNINGSIDE PARK – Nature Walk Leader: Orval White Meet in Morningside Park by the washrooms immediately west of the first parking lot, west of the park entrance on Morningside Ave., south of Ellesmere Rd. and north of Kingston Rd. Bring binoculars. Loop walk, 2-3 hours.

Tuesday June 9 10:00 a.m.

PINE HILLS CEMETERY – Birds and Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet at the southern cemetery entrance at the northeast corner of Birchmount Rd. and St. Clair Ave. E. Bring lunch and binoculars.

Wednesday June 10 6:45 p m.

TOM ATKINSON’S GARDEN (75 Ternhill Crescent) – Evening Ramble Leader: Tom Atkinson Meet at the first bus stop on the south side of Lawrence Ave. E., east of Leslie St. TTC bus #54 Lawrence Avenue East from Eglinton subway station. Naturalized garden, featuring native woody plants, many Carolinian, plus native orchids. Questions welcomed.

Saturday June 13 1:30 p m.

BLACK CREEK, HUMBER RIVER AND WESTON INTERFLUVIUM– Nature and Heritage Leaders: Alex Wellington and Alexander Cappell Meet at the northwest corner of Black Creek Dr. and Lawrence Ave. W. Walk will end on Weston Rd. above Jane St. Duration: 3 to 3½ hours.


HIGH PARK – Trees Leader: Bohdan Kowalyk Meet at the park entrance on the south side of Bloor St. W. at High Park Ave.


ETIENNE BRULE PARK – Fish Leader: Andrew Drake Meet at the Old Mill subway station. Learn about the fish in the Humber River, their habitat requirements and the role of shoreline vegetation for ecosystem functioning. Wear waterproof footwear. Polarized sunglasses recommended but not required. Morning only.



YORKVILLE HERITAGE - Evening Ramble Leader: Doug Paton Meet at Ramsden Park on the west side of Yonge St. across from Rosedale subway station.

Saturday June 20 10:00 a.m.

HIGH PARK – Insect Watching Leader: Bob Kortright Meet at the park entrance on the south side of Bloor St. W. at High Park Ave. The Pollinator Watch Program will be demonstrated so that interested members can participate if they wish. See page 21 for information. Other insect watching programs will also be discussed as we view insects in the field. Cameras, pencils and notebooks will be helpful to record what you learn. Lunch optional.


MAJOR GRAY’S TREE TRAIN – Lost Rivers Leader: Ian Wheal Meet at the Bathurst St. entrance to Old Fort York (off the bridge). Walk will end in Parkdale. A joint walk with the Toronto Green Community.


ROUGE VALLEY – Nature Walk Leader: Orval White Meet at the east end of Glen Rouge Campground parking lot, 7540 Kingston Rd., east of Port Union Rd. Bring binoculars. Duration: 2-3 hours. Bring lunch.


SHERWOOD PARK – Urban Issues Leader: Janice Palmer Meet at the main entrance to the park at the east end of Sherwood Ave. TTC bus #103 from the Eglinton subway station stops at Sherwood Ave. and Mt. Pleasant Rd. The park is 200 m to the east. Limited parking also available on the street and in a small lot outside the park. Can an urban park be loved too much? We will look for evidence of uses and abuses of the park and actions taken or contemplated to protect the natural heritage of this 16.2 hectare park. Bring binoculars and bug repellent if you wish. Duration: 2 hours.

Saturday June 27 10:30 a.m. +

CHARLES SAURIOL CONSERVATION RESERVE – Nature Ramble Leader: Charles Chaffey Meet at the southeast corner of Don Mills Rd. and The Donway South. Following muddy, steep and uneven paths used by mountain bikers, we will reach Eglinton Ave. E. and Wynford Drive at about 12:30 p m. Lunch optional.

Saturday June 27 1:30 p m.

CHARLES SAURIOL CONSERVATION RESERVE – Nature Ramble Leader: Charles Chaffey Meet on the north side of Eglinton Ave. E. just east of the Wynford Dr. overpass. We will follow muddy, steep and uneven paths used by mountain bikers. Walk will end at Don Mills Rd. and Gateway Blvd./Overlea Blvd. about 4 p m.

FOR ENJOYMENT OF OUTINGS

• Wide brim on hat for protection from sun • Long sleeves to protect you from mosquitoes, poison ivy and thistles • Slacks to protect you from mosquitoes, poison ivy, thistles and ticks • Long socks to help you avoid ticks • Hiking boots or running shoes • Rainwear • Sun glasses, sun screen and insect repellent • Binoculars and camera • Thermos or flask; snack • TTC Ride Guide (free), map, notebook and pen • Bring your family and/or friends, but … NO pets allowed



NORDHEIMER RAVINE – Nature Walk Leader: Rachel Gottesman Meet on the south side of St. Clair Ave W. across from St. Clair West subway station. Bring binoculars.

Tuesday June 30 1:30 p m.

TWO VALLEYS AND A SHORELINE – Nature walk Leader: Alexander Cappell Meet at the northeast corner of Avenue Rd. and Davenport Rd.

Thursday July 2 6:45 p m.

FORKS OF THE DON – Nature and Environment – Evening Ramble Leader: Mary Taylor Meet at the northwest corner of Coxwell Ave. and O’Connor Dr.

Saturday July 4 10:30 a.m.

SCADDING CABIN – Nature Arts and Heritage: Celebrating Toronto’s 175th Year Leader: Kayoko Smith Meet at the Dufferin Gates of the Exhibition Grounds. In the morning, we can sketch, write, photograph in the garden of Scadding Cabin as well as learn some of the history of the cabin. Bring lunch and any work you want to share.

Sunday July 5 1:00 p m.

TAYLOR CREEK PARK – Nature Walk Leader: Dianne Dietrich Meet on east side of Victoria Park Ave. at the subway entrance. We will explore the ravines between Victoria Park and Dawes Rd. including native plantings and newly constructed pond/wetlands. Bring binoculars. Circular walk. Duration about 3 hours.

Monday July 6 6:30 p m.

CEDARVALE RAVINE – Evening Ramble Leader: Marcus Feak Meet at the Heath St. exit of St. Clair West subway station. Bring binoculars.

Tuesday July 7 10:00 a.m.

MORNINGSIDE PARK – Birds and Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet at the first parking lot on the west side of Morningside Ave. south of Ellesmere Ave. Bring lunch and binoculars.


GLENDON RAVINE – Nature Walk Leader: Nancy Dengler Meet at the entrance to Glendon College at Lawrence Ave. E. and Bayview Ave. TTC bus #124 Sunnybrook from Lawrence subway station. If driving, enter through Glendon College gate and drive down into the ravine to the parking lot for the athletic facility. The group will walk through that parking lot at about 10 a m. Bring binoculars. Morning only.


EARL BALES PARK, WEST DON – Nature Walk Leader: Phoebe Cleverley Meet at the community centre in Earl Bales Park just south of Sheppard Ave. W. and east of Bathurst St. A 2-hour loop walk. Bring binoculars.


DERRYDOWNS PARK – Birds and Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet in the parking lot near the park entrance on the south side of Finch Ave. W. between Jane St. and Keele St. Bring lunch and binoculars.

Wednesday July 15 6:45 p m.

BEECHWOOD VALLEY – LOWER DON – Evening Ramble Leader: Margaret McRae Meet and end at the northeast corner of Beechwood Dr. and O’Connor Dr. Bring binoculars.


WEST DON – Nature Walk Leader: Marcus Feak Meet at the southwest corner of Sheppard Ave. W. and Bathurst St. Bring binoculars, lunch and bug spray. Ends approx. 1:30 p.m.



SOMERS CREEK AND ORIOLE PEANUT COMMUNITY GARDEN – Lost Rivers Leader: Helen Mills Meet at the corner of Don Mills Rd. E. and Deerford Rd., north of Sheppard Ave. E. Walk will include the Oriole Peanut Community Garden, with its communal, public and over 100 individual family gardens, and apartment greening at 12 Deerford Rd., with its proposed butterfly garden. A joint walk with the Toronto Green Community.


EAST DON: FINCH TO STEELES – Great Rivers of North York Leader: Alexander Cappell Meet at the northwest corner of Leslie St. and Finch Ave. E. Morning only.

Thursday July 23 6:45 p m.

HARBOURFRONT – Evening Ramble Leader: Phoebe Cleverley Meet at the southwest corner of York St. and Queen’s Quay near Second Cup. We’ll see what progress Waterfront Toronto has been making along the lake and stroll through the Music Garden, checking out birds and plants on our way. Bring binoculars.


LESLIE STREET SPIT– Birds and Butterflies Leader: Ann Gray Meet at the park entrance at Leslie St. and Unwin Ave. Bring lunch, water, hat, binoculars, camera, sunscreen.


ROSETTA McCLAIN GARDENS AND BLUFFS – Nature Walk Leader: Bob Kortright Meet at the park entrance on the south side of Kingston Rd. at Glen Everest Rd. Bring binoculars.

Ideas from the Outings Leaders' Workshop, continued from April newsletter Part 3 - Challenging Situations Compiled by Ruth Munson and Gail Gregory from the Outings Leaders' Workshop held January 17, 2009. What situations have you found when leading and how have you overcome them?

A. Keeping the Group Together

• Pace may vary depending on the sightings of the day. • Offshoot groups lagging at one spot may slow the pace. • Participants may move at differing paces. • Ask participants to report leaving the walk. • Ask back-up person to watch for stragglers so leader knows who has left and who may be lost! • After lunch is an especially difficult time to keep track of the group.

B. Seeing and Hearing

• Identify other experts in the group to aid in answering questions. • If one person is dominating the questions suggest having a later discussion. Ask the group if anyone else has a

question. • A heckler. We were surprised at this being reported as a situation. We can only hope it won't happen again! • Socialize but don't drown out the leader! Step aside to have your personal conversations. • Allow time for enjoying special vistas and sightings.

C. Physical Challenges

• Inclement weather. Remember that the leader can decide to cancel a walk at the meeting place if conditions warrant.

• Find a shady spot for information sharing on a hot day. • Make group aware of poison ivy in an area you are passing. • Arrange for mutual help in case of accident (see next summary for the Safety discussion in detail).



COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK– Nature Walk Leader: Kerry Adams Meet at the southwest corner of Lake Shore Blvd. W. and Kipling Ave. Bring lunch and binoculars.

Wednesday July 29 6:45 p m.

HIGH PARK – Evening Ramble Leader: Wendy Rothwell Meet at southwest corner of Bloor St. W. and High Park Ave.

Saturday August 1 10:30 a.m.

CHARLES SAURIOL CONSERVATION RESERVE (North) – Nature Arts Photo Hike Leaders: Yoshie Nagata and Joe Bernaske Meet at the park entrance at Lawrence Ave. E. and Old Lawrence Ave., just east of the Don Valley Parkway. Parking available (but not a circular route). Some hill walking. Good opportunities for quick sketching and writing along the way. Lunch will be at a coffee shop on Eglinton Ave. E. and Bermondsey Rd. Bring any work you’d like to share.

Sunday August 2 2:00 p m.

LAWRENCE PARK AND BURKE BROOK – Local History and Nature Leader: Janet Langdon Meet at the southeast corner of Yonge St. and St. Edmund’s Drive, one stop light south of Lawrence subway station. Circular route. Some steep hills.

Wednesday August. 5 6:45 p m.

EAST DON TRIBUTARY: Great Rivers of North York: Finch to Sheppard – Evening Ramble Leader: Alexander Cappell Meet at the northeast corner of Leslie St. and Finch Ave. E.

Thursday August 6 10:30 a.m.

TAYLOR CREEK AND E.T. SETON PARKS - Wildflowers Leader: Melanie Milanich Meet at Main subway station. Walk will end at Ontario Science Centre. Bring lunch. Duration: 3 hours.


MOUNT PLEASANT CEMETERY – Trees Leader: David Andrew White Meet at Davisville subway station. Bring lunch.


SUN VALLEY AND CROTHERS WOODS – Nature Walk Leader: Margaret McRae Meet and end at the northeast corner of Beechwood Dr. and O’Connor Dr. west of Pape Ave. Bring binoculars.

Tuesday August 11 10:00 a.m.

HUMBER ARBORETUM – Birds And Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet at the entrance to the Humber Arboretum behind Humber College. The college is on Humber College Blvd. between Finch Ave. W. and Highway 27 (closer to Hwy 27). Bring lunch and binoculars.

Wednesday August 12 6:45 p m.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT HERITAGE - Evening Ramble Leader: Anne Scott Meet at the southeast corner of King St. E. and Parliament St.


TORONTO ISLANDS – Nature Walk Leader: Bob Kortright Meet at the ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street in time for the 10:15 a m. ferry to Hanlan’s Point. Bring lunch, binoculars and money for ferry.


CASTLE FRANK BROOK AND SAN LORENZO COMMUNITY ORGANIC GARDEN – Lost Rivers Leader: Helen Mills Meet at the southwest corner of Dufferin St. and Lawrence Ave. W. outside Villa Columbo. A joint walk with the Toronto Green Community.


Tuesday August 18 1:30 p m.

ROUGE VALLEY – Nature Ramble Leader: Charles Chaffey Meet at the bus stop on the east side of Meadowvale Rd. at the bridge to the zoo. We will explore northward on Hillside Nature Trail and Cedar Trail, returning to our starting point. Bring binoculars, duration 2 ½ hours .

Thursday August 20 6:45 p m.

WARDEN WOODS AND TAYLOR MASSEY CREEK – Evening Ramble Leader: Melanie Milanich Meet at Warden subway station. Walk will end at Victoria Park subway station. We will view new wetlands and restoration projects.


ROUGE BEACH TO PETTICOAT CREEK – Birds and Butterflies Leader: Carol Sellers Meet at the Rouge Hill GO station at Lawrence Ave. E. and East Ave. We will car pool from there to Rouge Beach. Bring lunch and binoculars.


LAMBTON WOODS – Wildflowers Leader: Leslie Fitzgibbons Meet in front of the washrooms at the entrance to James Gardens on Edenbridge Dr. east of Royal York Rd.

Tuesday August. 25, 10:00 a.m.

LAMBTON PARK AND HUMBER RIVER – Natural Heritage Leader: Madeleine McDowell Meet at Lambton House, 4066 Old Dundas St., on the east bank of the Humber River. TTC bus #55 Warren Park from Jane subway station to Warren and Lundy. Walk will end at Lambton House where we will have lunch with the option to continue along the river to Old Mill subway station. Bring lunch.

Wednesday August 26 6:45 p m.

WEST DON AND HINDER ESTATE– Evening Ramble Leader: Alexander Cappell Meet on the east side of Bathurst St. where the Don River goes under the street, north of Sheppard Ave. W. Walk will end at Bathurst St. and Sheppard Ave. W.

Saturday August. 29 1:45 p m.

ETOBICOKE CREEK – Nature Walk Leader: Ed Freeman Meet at Tim Hortons at the corner of The West Mall and Sherway Dr., by Trillium Health Centre entrance. Walk ends at Lake Ontario. Some rough ground, but mostly on dirt and paved paths. Duration: about 3 hours.

Sunday August. 30 2:30 p m.

EAST DON PARKLANDS – Nature Walk Leader: Barry Singh Meet at the southwest corner of Steeles Ave. E. and Leslie St.

TFN outing along the Belt Line, May 2006, photographed by Pleasance Crawford


PRESIDENT’S REPORT The TFN is a multi-faceted organization, and our members appreciate nature in a variety of ways. For some, it is the simple delight of experiencing hopeful signs of spring – the conk-la-reeee of Red-winged Blackbirds, pussy willows bursting forth and scampering chipmunks. For people of scientific mind, the appeal may be studying the amazing interactions within nature – how flowers are designed to attract the insects they rely on for pollination, or the indispensable role of fungi in the health of a forest. Some of us take delight in watching behaviour – birds building their nests and feeding their young. Some TFN members have become expert in certain fields, and share their knowledge and enthusiasm by writing articles for the Newsletter. Thank you, Marilynn Murphy, for your continuing “Bird of the Month” series.

On the first Saturday of each month, a Nature Arts outing enables members to combine love of nature with artistic talents, and our newsletter is enriched by the images they capture, by drawing, painting or photography. Thank you, Gail Gregory, for the charming watercolour on this month’s front cover. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the outing at Allan Gardens on March 7th co-led by Barry Singh, a talented photographer, and Joe Bernaske, who introduced a new aspect of nature arts – writing. The initial subject was haiku, a nature-oriented poetic form from Japan which has been adopted and modified by North Americans. I felt Joe captured its essence well:

• A crystallized moment of reality sensed with heightened awareness and expressed with simple imagery

• A reminder to pause and be present in the moment to the details around us by using all our senses

• A whole new way of seeing something

Joe shared examples, including some he had written, and challenged us to try our hand at it as we explored the greenhouses. This proved more difficult than I had anticipated! Joe wrote this one following our outing:

Cabbage Whites flying upward circling each other dancing into fall

We are fortunate to have gifted haiku-writers among our members, and enjoy printing their poems in the Newsletter. Thank you, Joe, for initiating the writing idea, and we look forward to learning other genres on future nature arts outings.

But the TFN is about more than appreciating and enjoying nature. We also recognize the importance of protecting and preserving it. The garlic mustard pulls on May 22nd provide an opportunity to do this (see pages 5 and 15 and for details). I hope many of you will participate. Thank you, Bob Kortright, for organizing this project.

As you will see, we have a wonderful assortment of outings for you to enjoy during the spring and summer months, where I hope to see many of you. If you have special holidays planned, I hope they will include encounters with nature. I am looking forward to re-visiting Rondeau Provincial Park – one of my favourite places – and participating in the Huron Fringe Bird Festival.

Please be sure to renew your TFN membership in good time, so as not to miss your September newsletter (see page 27).

Wendy Rothwell

Gail Gregory, artist Joe Bernaske teaching haiku-writing Yoshie Nagata, photographer

Photographed by Wendy Rothwell at Allan Gardens


REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE The Nominating Committee recommends the following slate of nominees to the Board for the year 2009-2010: President: Wendy Rothwell Past President: Pinky Franklin Vice-President: Bob Kortright Secretary-Treasurer: Corley Phillips Directors: due to retire in 2010: Alexander Cappell, Margaret McRae due to retire in 2011: Nancy Dengler, Elisabeth Gladstone, Corley Phillips due to retire in 2012: Barry Mitchell, Marcus Feak George Bryant and Gail Gregory have advised that they intend to step down from the board when they complete their current term, creating two openings in September 2009.

TFN by-law No. 1, Section 5(g) provides that “any three members may submit, in writing, to the Secretary-Treasurer by July 15 the name of a candidate accompanied by the written consent of the nominee. Such nominations shall be published in the September issue of the newsletter and the names of such nominees shall be added to the list of candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee.” Nominations should be sent to the TFN office, 2 Carlton Street, Unit 1519, Toronto, ON, M5B 1J3. According to TFN by-law No.1, Section 5(b), “If an election is required it shall be by ballot mailed to all members. Ballots may be mailed to the auditor or deposited at the Annual General Meeting prior to the commencement of the meeting. The ballots will be tabulated by the auditor who shall announce the results.”

Exciting Opportunity!

We can’t offer you fabulous wealth or travel to exotic places, but we can offer you a share of the “power of the purse”!

If you have training and/or experience as an accountant or bookkeeper, and can contribute a modest amount of your time in assisting with TFN’s financial administration, we would like to hear from you.

Please contact: Corley Phillips Barry Mitchell ) or [email protected] to arrange a get-together. If you want further information, don’t hesitate to send us your questions.

Share your enthusiasm

for the TFN! An attractive advertisement promoting Toronto Field Naturalists is being posted on the website (www.torontofieldnaturalists.org). Please make known to prospective members the benefits of TFN membership – exhilarating outings, stimulating lectures, an interesting and enjoyable newsletter and friendships with fellow nature-lovers – by printing the poster and putting it up in your local library, community centre, etc. Don’t have a computer? Just phone the office and we’ll be happy send you a few posters.


http://www.torontofieldnaturalists.org


MONTHLY MEETING REPORT

After the Ice Age: The First Peoples of Ontario Sunday, April 5, speaker: Peter Storck, formerly of the Royal Ontario Museum, and author of Journey to the Ice Age: Discovering an Ancient World

It is generally accepted that the original peopling of the Americas was the result of the migration of Asians across the Bering land bridge. They spread throughout the continent – to South America in the south and Nova Scotia in the east. In 1929, evidence of the existence of Paleo-Indians had been found in the southeastern United States. But when did they come to Ontario?

Peter’s pioneering work on this question and how he made his discoveries make a fascinating story. The Paleo-Indian stage of occupation is characterized by the use of projectile points. These early hunters are said to have been here 10,000 to 12,000 years ago when northern Ontario was still under ice and glacial Lake Algonquin lapped what we know as southern Ontario.

How does an archaeologist know where to look for evidence? Peter walked, beachcombing into the past. By walking the ancient raised shorelines formed over the last several thousand years, he searched for the sites where he might find the tools and campsites of early man.

His first major discovery, close to Alliston, was a drumlin in a farmer’s field. A drumlin is a geological term for an elongated hill deposited and shaped by glacial ice. Here, he found spear points, hammer stones, knives, spear blanks and tools for working leather.

However, this was not enough to establish that the ancient people had been there when the lake was present. For that he needed organic material such as charcoal and remains of extinct animals to put the people in the place. The difficulty is that what was once the bottom of lakes and lagoons is now our rich

farmland and the act of ploughing disturbs the archaeological record.

Peter’s second major discovery occurred north of Uxbridge. Here he found 2000 pieces of stone – chips off the tools being sharpened through a process called flintknapping, a sophisticated technology. He also found the contents of what had once been a fire pit.

These 293 pieces of animal bone, weighing 290 grams, were probably smashed by the people to make soup and then put into the fire. They make the largest collection of ancient animal bones east of the Mississippi.

The bones, tiny fragments, were finally identified. One belonged to the paw of a hare, the second, caribou toe bones and the third, an arctic fox. So with both tools and the animal remains discov-ered, the ancient people are placed in time and we know something of their life.

Peter then went looking for other parts of the landscape of their lives and the stone used in their tools and weapons provided a clue. It

was a flint-like substance, white chert. Three years later, a geological colleague found the source, up near Collingwood.

Peter’s pioneering work leaves questions for future exploration. For instance, why did these Paleo-Indians use white chert, sourced in a snow belt when they probably entered Ontario from the south?

For those interested in the details of this story, I highly recommend his readable book, Journey to the Ice Age, for details of his findings as well as the story of how an archaeologist works. At the back is a self-guided tour keyed to the narrative in the book. You, too, can drive into ice age Ontario and beyond!

Corinne McDonald


As announced in the April newsletter, please join fellow TFN members to pull garlic mustard on May 22 from 10 a.m. to about noon at Warden Woods or South Humber Park (for directions see Outings page 5). There will be city staff at each site to show us how it is done. Wear comfortable clothes, sturdy closed-toed shoes, bring drinking water and sunscreen.

GARLIC MUSTARD REMOVAL Informat on drawn from BEAN s Removal protocol for garlic mustard in Ontario, ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario, Ottawa F e d Natura sts F etcher W d fe Garden Gar c Mustard factsheet, and TFN s photo arch ve.

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a shade-tolerant biennial that produces a cluster of basal leaves in its first year, and a leafy flowering stem up to 1 m tall in the second year. It has a strong garlic odour, especially if the leaves are bruised. Garlic mustard is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae).

The first year basal leaves are long-stalked and kidney-shaped, from 3 to 17 cm across. The leaves on the second year stem are alternate, stalked, triangular, 3 to 6 cm long, with coarsely toothed margins.

The flower cluster is a raceme of small, white, four-petalled flowers, 6 to 7 mm wide. Flowers are produced from April to June.

The fruits are narrow capsules, up to 6 cm long, on short stout stalks. Flowers and fruits develop over time from the bottom of the raceme up to the top, so you may see the long capsules at the base of the raceme while there are still flowers opening at the top.

Large plants in suitable habitats may produce over 2,700 seeds. In dense stands in woodland habitats, seed production can range from 9,500 to over 100,000 seeds per square metre per year. When mature, the capsules burst open and can throw seeds several meters. Further distribution is primarily by humans and other animals inadvertently carrying seeds, or mud containing seeds. Natural or human-made roads and trails thus become prime corridors for invasion.

Populations spread an average of 5.4 m/year, which may not sound like a lot until you add it up: 6,400 km2/year in North America! Garlic Mustard can dominate forest groundcover within 5 to 7 years of introduction.


BIRD OF THE MONTH BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER

It was not until I joined the Toronto Field Naturalists with its wonderful leaders, especially the late Helen Smith, who began drawing my attention to them, that I knew such gorgeous birds as warblers existed in Toronto. A whole new world opened up. May is now my favourite month of the year, the best chance to see 25 or more warbler species during their spring migration. Within this family of beautiful birds, the Black-throated Blue Warbler was one of the first I learned and remains a favourite. A never-to-be-forgotten sight was of a Black-throated Blue Warbler and a Scarlet Tanager feeding in full view against a background of bright yellow forsythia, a startling contrast of primary colours. That May day a cold wind had driven the tanager down to shrub level and, after several minutes, finally drove me away, leaving the birds where I’d found them.

Although warblers are best appreciated with the help of binoculars, the “blue” is more obliging than many and sometimes allows good looks even without binoculars. The male’s deep blue, black and white pattern is unlike any other warbler and makes him easy to recognize and remember. The little white patch on the wing, often referred to as the pocket-handkerchief, is quite distinctive on the male and helps us recognize the otherwise drab olive female. So different are the sexes in appearance that early observers considered them different species. Unlike those “confusing fall warblers” which appear as pale imitations or in some cases very different from their spring glory, blues change little with the seasons. The male’s song seems

to me louder, simpler and easier to recognize than that of many warblers.

Insects comprise the main warbler diet, for some species their entire food source. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, however, has somewhat more varied tastes. Besides insects, it also eats some fruit and occasionally seeds, mainly in fall and winter. In the fall, blues have also been known to consume sap from sapsucker holes and at feeders they will eat suet and peanut butter. This flexibility must help the rare lingerer, like the two recorded in last winter's Toronto Christmas Bird Count. Each warbler species has its own methods of catching insects. Blues tend to move a little more slowly and generally at lower levels than many warblers and both these habits make it easier for us to observe them. Occasionally blues can also be seen gathering insects on the open ground.

For nest sites, Black-throated Blue Warblers prefer dense shrubs in deciduous or mixed forest interiors. This necessitates travelling beyond Toronto and in Ontario the densest breeding concentrations of blues are in the Southern Shield and to a lesser extent in the Northern Shield. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario 2001 - 2005 reports an expansion in southern Ontario, probably due to forest regeneration. More good news can be found in the Toronto Ornithological Club's spring warbler survey, conducted for more than 35 years. While that survey shows marked declines for many warblers migrating through the city, for blues “no significant trend up or down” has been detected.

Warblers migrate mainly at night. They cross Lake Ontario when conditions are favourable and Toronto is well situated as a stop-over both in spring and fall. For several weeks warblers can be found in the city's parks, cemeteries and backyards, preparing for the next leg of their journey. Other than the abundant Yellow Warbler, very few warblers stay in the city to nest. Around the end of May blues disappear from Toronto until the southbound journey begins in August. By mid-October all but that rare straggler are gone and unless we follow them to the Caribbean, we can only look forward to next May for their reappearance. The bird seen by Frances Money in Cuba may be the one you see in Toronto.

Marilynn Murphy

Note: For more nformat on, see A Field Guide to Warblers of North America by Jon L. Dunn & K mba L. Garrett and the webs tes of The Toronto Orn tho og ca C ub and Corne Lab of Orn tho ogy.

Black-throated Blue Warbler photographed in Cuba by Frances Money, February 2009


KEEPING IN TOUCH Two Does and a Fawn Those who know me realize I rarely birdwatch without rubber boots. This is because I like to go through wetlands and swamps where most people hate to go. Most of the green areas of Toronto are in river valleys. Finding wild tableland which is forested is highly unusual. The norm in Toronto is, as soon as you climb a hill from a valley you find someone’s private property. I was pleasantly surprised when birding north of Sheppard on the east Don. I climbed a hill and found forested tableland. The area was covered with deer tracks so I was hopeful of finding some animals. I was not disappointed for in the distance I saw a white tail flashing. The doe did not move too far from me and sat down with her ears perked up. I tried to avoid scaring her so made my way back to the bike path. I went on a route through the wet lowlands hoping to flush a woodcock. I didn’t have much luck finding early spring arrivals. While I was walking on the paved path two more deer were jumping over logs on the far bank of the river. They appeared to be a doe and year old fawn. Although I only saw 18 species of birds, seeing 3 deer made the hike more than worthwhile. Next week may bring in some bluebirds, meadowlarks or flickers. This time of year is always exciting as you never know what you may discover.

Roger Powley

Wind Speed in Colour While many people probably know about the weather beacon on top of the Canada Life building on University Avenue (which shows if the temperature is

going up or down, and if it is raining or snowing), few people know about the new wind speed indicator on a building near the corner of Yonge and Carlton, opposite the TFN office.

The beacon was installed as a piece of art, and is called “The Harbinger” (not of spring). Instead, colours indicate wind speed. If the colour is blue, there is little wind, but as the wind increases, the colour changes to green, then red, and finally white, with many shades in between. The beacon can be seen by anyone walking on Yonge in the evening. It can also be seen from as far away as Union Station.

Helen Juhola

My wife and I have been members for several years. I am submitting a couple of photos of interesting insects from our native plant garden in downtown Toronto. One is of a Nessus sphinx moth that was feeding on our milkweed in the summer of 2008. The other is of two milkweed bugs mating (presumably). Keep up the great work with the newsletter.

John Teshima

This is the last newsletter of the 2008-2009 season. Thanks to all members who sent in articles, letters, book reviews, reports, poems, artwork and photographs. And a big thank you to Newsletter Committee members for your hard work, especially co-editor, Wendy Rothwell, without whom your newsletter might not arrive on time!

Please keep the newsletter in mind when you’re on summer outings, and send us your observations of and on Toronto nature for next season’s issues.

Jenny Bull


Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) – Highlights of 2008 By Andrea Luger, Restoration Services Division, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) 2008 was a busy year at TTP, also known as Leslie St. Spit. Although it was a cold and snowy winter, staff of TRCA started the year by installing various structures around the park such as wood duck and owl boxes and fish cribs. Later, the soil slope on the edge of Cell One was altered to make a vertical wall that Bank Swallows can burrow into and build their nests. (A vertical slope offers protection from mammalian predators.) Log tangles and brush piles were installed on the Toplands and around Triangle Pond for small mammals, and turtle nesting habitat was created near several wetlands.

Log tangles, root wads and large boulders were placed on the ice a few metres off the shoreline of Embayment C. When the ice melted they naturally fell into position, creating structural habitat, feeding and spawning opportunities for fish, and substrate for invertebrates. Logs emerging above the water are ideal for turtle basking and waterfowl roosting. In the summer native aquatic vegetation was planted along the shoreline to increase biodiversity, reinforce stability, and provide food and cover for both aquatic and terrestrial species.

Juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper, photographed by Seabrooke Leckie, TTPBRS volunteer

Creation of a two-basin wetland on the Toplands continued throughout the year. Topsoil was added and contoured. A water control structure was placed between the two basins in order to manipulate water levels independently in each basin so that shorebirds of varying sizes can benefit. The wetland was filled with water pumped from Lake Ontario, and mud from the base of Triangle Pond was spread across several areas to increase the number and diversity of invertebrates available for shorebirds. We are looking forward to the arrival of migrating shorebirds in the spring!

Although fine materials have been placed above the construction rubble and clean dredgeate that forms the land base of TTP, the soil profile at TTP is atypical of

natural areas, with organic soils largely absent. This makes TTP less than ideal for plant growth. Organic matter provides plant roots with the nutrients and micro-organisms they need and improves the moisture holding capacity of the soil, allowing plants to take up more water. To improve conditions, planting nodes were created with topsoil imported from local develop-ment sites and these areas were planted or seeded with native species. Nine hundred trees and shrubs were planted. Herbaceous species were planted in wet meadows and sand dunes, increasing plant diversity, improving soil stability and enhancing wildlife habitat by providing food and cover, including over-wintering and nesting habitat.

Non-native invasive species are a concern in some areas of TTP: the shoreline of Triangle Pond is predomi-nantly composed of common reed; some meadow areas in the park have been taken over by dog strangling vine; and purple loosestrife is found near wetlands. Physical removal techniques were used to control dog-strangling vine and common reed before their seeds had matured and dispersed. Vegetation surveys were also completed around Cell One and the four Embayments. These annual surveys allow us to map natural succession and changes in vegetation community structures.

As non-functioning light standards in the park are removed there are fewer perches available for raptors to rest and survey the surrounding area for foraging opportunities. To compensate for this, a 7 m raptor pole has been installed in a meadow area near Embay-ment D. The pole, which has a snake hibernaculum at its base, is expected to become a favourite location for park visitors looking for birds of prey – already a Peregrine Falcon is enjoying this new vantage point! More poles will be erected in the coming months.

Continued on p. 19.

Peregrine Falcon on the new raptor perch, photographed by Ian Sturdee, TTPBRS volunteer.


FOR READING The Songs of Insects By Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger Houghton Mifflin Co., 228 pages, $26.95, includes 70-minute CD.

This is a very handy new book to help you enjoy the sounds of late summer. It covers 75 singing insects - crickets, katydids, grasshoppers and cicadas - in the eastern and central US and Canada. Both authors are well-known, Elliott for his bird songs and Hershberger for insect songs. There is a brief background introduction to the insect groups such as how and why they sing, but most of the book is devoted to species identification. The 75 species covered are separated into 6 types of crickets, 5 types of katydids, 2 of long-horned grasshoppers and 2 of cicadas. There is a short introduction for each type followed by usually 2 pages for each species. The left page has a picture of the species on white, a range map, sonogram and some pertinent comments about the species. The right page has a full-page photograph of the species on vegetation. The photographs are outstanding! When there are several species that look similar there are also additional drawings of parts of the insect that would distinguish them. I should mention that all the photographs are of live insects; I don't know how they got the crickets to stay still.

The CD is amazing. It is difficult to actually see insects singing; those that sing during the day often hide themselves and those that sing at night have perfect cover. Also, some insect songs are so high-pitched that many older people can't hear them. For this CD, the authors used a device that lowers the pitch into a range where one's hearing is still normal. That said, I did have to turn the volume way up for a couple of the katydid songs. Each species on the CD is introduced with a brief narrative, followed by the song. If there is a difference in the song because of temperature, e.g. cold cricket/warm cricket, both songs are recorded.

The book closes with a few tips on which insects you might want to keep as household musicians for a while. Coneheads are attractive but their songs are loud and harsh while cricket trills and chirps are quite pleasant! This is a fun and informative book.

Carol Sellers Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Park and the Surrounding Areas By Colin Jones and Matt Holder, illustrations by Peter Burke and Andrea Kingsley. The Friends of Algonquin Park, P.O. Box 248, Whitney ON K0J 2M0. Available only from www.algonquinpark.on.ca, 263 pages, $28.95.

This new field guide is an important contribution to our knowledge of odonates. Many guides cover only dragonflies or damselflies; this guide covers both in great detail. Although the title refers to Algonquin Park, the guide is very complete for Ontario. It covers 135 species, omitting only a few species from southwestern and far northern Ontario.

Each species is given a complete description noting its identification markers, a comparison to similar species, notes on habitat and behaviour, flight period, status (common, rare, etc.) and its range. A good-size coloured drawing shows the top and/or side view. Often there are black-and-white drawings of specific details that could be used to identify the species. The depth of information conveyed by the drawings is extremely informative.

This book didn't come out until fall so I haven't had a chance to use it, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.

Carol Sellers

Tommy Thompson Park Highlights continued from previous page The new trail system installed in 2007 was a big hit with park visitors. By separating the trails by their main uses, people had more room to discover the park at their leisure, reducing the number of conflicts with cyclists. The three main trail systems are the Primary Pedestrian Trail for walking and jogging, the Multi-Use Trail for cyclists and the Nature Trail for nature observers.

Many exciting restoration projects are scheduled for TTP in 2009. There will be spring and fall plantings of native trees and shrubs, wildflower plantings in the summer, improvements to trails, and shoreline stabilization and wetland habitat improvements in the Embayments.

http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca


EXTRACTS FROM OUTINGS LEADERS’ REPORTS Port Union Waterfront Trail, March 4, led by Karin Fawthrop A Red-tailed Hawk followed us from Rouge Hill GO station to the Highland Creek bridge. Other than 2 cardinals and 2 Rock Doves, the only birds were waterfowl. The Long-tailed Ducks were the noisiest. On the beach next to the creek there was a beaver munching on sticks. Everyone had a good view.

Humber Bay East, March 10, led by Bob Kortright Although the mink, Black-backed Gulls and two Horned Grebes were the only slightly unusual sightings, many in the group were also delighted with good views of all three merganser species, Redhead, scaup, Bufflehead, goldeneye, and juvenile and adult plumages of three gull species. For many, sightings of Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, and even Gadwall were first of the spring.

Col. Sam Smith Park, March 14, led by Wendy Rothwell On this bright sunny morning, 35 eager participants turned out to see both winter waterfowl and newly returned migrants. In the lagoon, we watched White-winged Scoters and Horned and Red-necked Grebes. The voices of Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows were a delightful sign of spring. And it was a thrill to see four Trumpeter Swans fly over in formation.

Ashbridges Bay, March 17, led by Margaret Catto Twenty-three bird species in total. We heard a Belted Kingfisher and saw Mourning Doves nest-building in a spruce. American Robin and Song Sparrow were singing, also Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle.

Leslie Street Spit, March 28, led by Bob Kortright The warm sunny forecast led almost 50 members and friends to visit the Spit to see birds – 8 lasted the full 11 km. Those who left early missed the cormorants which appeared to arrive during the day, since we saw none until well after lunch and they first appeared behind us! About half the species were those (mostly waterfowl) which have been around all winter. The blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, Killdeer, and Song Sparrows have been back for several weeks. More recent signs of spring included the Ring-necked Ducks, Red-necked Grebes, cormorants, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, woodcock, kingfisher, kinglets, creepers, butterflies, coltsfoot in bloom, pussy willows, and garter snakes

Pussy willows photographed by Augusta Takeda, Leslie St. Spit, March 28

seen in a couple of places–males apparently attempting to mate with females emerging from hibernacula. The mockingbird was seen by some at the base of the Spit. The woodcock flushed in our midst during our lunch stop, dropping back down into the shrubbery so quickly many did not see it. Unfortunately many also missed perhaps the most unusual sight for the day – a Sandhill Crane flying high above us to the west, where they are more often seen. A group led by the president of the Toronto Ornithological Club spotted a Western Grebe far offshore, but we were unable to find it.

LOON by Heather Cadsby

Many people like birds. Birds travel a lot. Many people can’t sit still. They get jealous, go weird. Some birds are weird. Take the loon for instance. Underwater He spreads his wings And flies after fish. On the surface He runs. In the air He moves like a hunchback. And that’s not to mention His crazy feet Goofy jewellery And wild cry. Loons have no use for people. Many people like loons.


CITIZEN SCIENCE Citizen Science is a term used to describe the participation of citizens in the collection of data for scientific analysis. From glass eels in the Hudson River watershed and lichens in Toronto to bird migration across North America, these data allow scientists to track species distributions and population numbers for use in analysing many different ecological issues such as the effects of climate change, invasive species, habitat loss, and pollution. Ideally, these analyses will lead to better government policy and management. Programs may include extensive training or simply involve a few minutes of instruction. Here is a sampling of some projects you can get involved in. A new citizen science program, Pollination Canada, collects observations from the Canadian public for a nationwide survey of pollinators. The program monitors insect populations and diversity in gardens, parks, along country roads – anywhere flowers are growing – to help scientists better understand the crucial relationships between pollinators, ecosystems, plant diversity, and human activity. On June 20, there will be an intro-duction to this program on a TFN Outing led by Bob Kortright (see p. 7). With populations of reptiles and amphibians dropping at an alarming rate and over 1500 species on the verge of extinction or already recently gone, Toronto Zoo administers two programs – Ontario Turtle Tally and Ontario FrogWatch –to monitor turtles, frogs and toads (see below).

PlantWatch began in Alberta in 1987 to track changes in flowering times of certain plants after it was noticed that some plants appeared to be flowering earlier and earlier each spring – some species now flower a month earlier than a century ago. PlantWatch is now part of Environment Canada’s NatureWatch, which also tracks climate change with a program called IceWatch. Ice events – the freeze and thaw dates of lakes and rivers – are easily recorded. Since climate change is not consistent across the country and because there are large gaps in the current monitoring network, citizen scientists are important in supplying much needed data from many more regions.

WormWatch is a nationwide earthworm census. Citizens report on the presence of worms in their soil in order to help understand soil ecology as well as to help figure out the question of whether Canadian earthworms were all killed in the last ice age and are now found due to introductions from Europe, or whether in fact some survived the ice age in certain regions.

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) started in 1900 as a way to encourage people to switch from the tradition of shooting birds at Christmas to counting them instead. The first count involved 27 people in 25 sites across Canada and the USA. The most recent count tallied reports from over 2000 sites across the Americas. Analysis of the data collected from the last 40 years of the CBC was reported on in last month’s newsletter (TFN # 563, p. 16).

Continued on next page.


CITIZEN SCIENCE continued from previous page. There are many other Citizen Science programs involving monitoring of birds such as the Great Back Yard Bird Count held over one weekend a year (the most recent with over 90,000 checklists submitted from 35 states and provinces) and Project FeederWatch which collects data on observations of birds that visit feeders in backyards and nature centers from November to April. These data help scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. Many bird species or groups such as hawks and hummingbirds also have their own monitoring programs.

A new international system called eBird, launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, is amassing one of the largest bio-diversity data resources in existence. In 2006, partici-pants reported more than 4.3 million bird observations

across North America. These observations can be used to help monitor bird populations over time and across the landscape. As a participant, you can even use eBird to keep track of your own sightings and checklists! Anyone can access the data to create charts showing occurrence of particular species over time in particular places—across the whole of North America, just in Ontario, or even at one of six locations in Toronto!

One of the newest programs citizens can participate in is the Ontario Wasp Watchers Project -- watching for a native ground-nesting wasp that can indicate the presence of new infestations of the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle before it becomes established as a serious pest. While the EAB is virtually undetectable, the native wasp that preys on EABs can be observed bringing them back to its underground burrow where they are stored as food for the wasps’ larvae.

CANADIAN LAKES LOON SURVEY

IF YOU’RE IN LOON COUNTRY IN THE SUMMER: • survey any Canadian lake at least once in June (for loon pairs), once in July (for newly hatched chicks) and once

in August (for the number of young that survive); • keep an eye out for other common waterbirds; • record your information and send it to Bird Studies Canada by mail or internet for analysis.

Your reports join hundreds others from across the country to support the conservation of loons and lakes. To register: 1-888-448-BIRD (2473) or www.bsc-eoc.org/cllsmain. • Loons are one of the oldest groups of birds living today, with a history of more than 50 million years. There are

five species of loons worldwide, four of which breed in Canada. The majority of the world’s Common Loons breed on Canadian lakes.

• Quiet “hoots” or “mews” are intimate chats among loons floating together. The wild “yodel,” with repeated triplets at the end, is a territorial call given by males. The familiar tremolo or “laughing” call is a distress call that loons give when alarmed or threatened. The cause could be another loon, a predator or a curious human. If loons give this call with you near, you may have approached a loon’s nest or chick too closely.

• At present, loon populations are stable but reproductive success is higher in western regions than in the east. Human activities have decreased the abundance and breeding range of Common Loons in North America in the last 150 years. Factors include acid rain, shoreline development, water level fluctuations, and water craft. Loons are also threatened by the deadly Type E botulism when they migrate through the Great Lakes. There are several US states where loons are threatened, endangered or no longer present.

If you’d like to become part of this extraordinary world-wide movement of citizen scientists, start by finding a program that fits your circumstances. Time commitment can vary from one to many hours per year, the place can be as close as your kitchen window or requiring travel some distance from home, and expertise can be at the beginner level of species recognition through to advanced.

For more information about these programs, google the project’s name. You can also phone Bird Studies Canada at 1-888-448-2473 for information and registration in many Canadian projects including Project FeederWatch, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, eBird Canada, Marsh Monitoring Program, and Project NestWatch. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (416-661-6600 ext. 5574) also runs a monitoring program throughout Toronto and region for which they provide training for volunteers. For a list of Canada-wide programs see CitizenScience.ca

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/cllsmain


FROM THE ARCHIVES

From TFN Newsletter #212, April 1965. Wilderness Adventure, by Ronald G. Tozer It is 4:30 pm on a lazy July afternoon in Algonquin Park. As I get up from my chair in the museum's lab, my companion, a man some forty years older than I, remarks with reserved enthusiasm, “Should we go to Longspur Lake tonight?”

We gather cameras, binoculars, sheath knives, flashlight, hand axe and mosquito repellent. We strap the canoe on the car and drive to the beginning of the trail, which covers about three miles between the highway and Longspur Lake.

The sun is still quite high as we arrive and unstrap the canoe. I hoist the canoe onto my shoulders. My friend Russ, axe in hand, sets forth ahead of me on the trail, watching for our former blazes and re-marking those which have become dull.

The young maples grow profusely here in the deep shade of the climax forest. There is a pungent odour of decaying leaves, fungi and mosses. Before us is a low area which is open to the azure sky and supports a luxuriant growth of intricate hay-scented fern. The trail turns off to the left and up a ridge which has a huge rounded boulder, the size of your car, near its crest--a reminder that we are in the glacially-eroded Precambrian Shield. Nearby are several beech trees which have healed-over scratches, caused by bears' claws, on their smooth gray bark, and what look like large stick nests in the upper branches. Russ explains that the black bears climb these trees and pull the branches in to the centre to get the beechnuts, leaving these nest-like assemblages.

Shouldering the canoe again, we set off toward the lake. I listen for birds and can pick out an ovenbird, a veery, a raven, and far off the shrill cry of a broad-winged hawk. Another wet spot is traversed by way of a damp rotting log which is identified as hemlock, due to the reddish-orange bracket fungus (hemlock conk) growing on the side. Several dead balsams remain standing here, and in the quiet of the forest we are able to hear the rasping of bark beetles within these trees.

Another few steps forward and there is a great crashing of brush ahead of us. With haste we move on to discover a large grove of striped maple which has been heavily browsed and broken down. We have disturbed a moose (or maybe two) which has likely eaten here for several days. The moose can feed on these saplings which are too large for deer.

The sun lowering in the west urges us on once more. We have not gone much farther when a small bird flutters up from beside the path. Carefully we peer at the dead leaves, but it is a full minute before we discover the nest--the arched bower of the ovenbird with its set of eggs. We are pleased since this bird's nest is very difficult to find. Moving on now, the ground begins to slope toward the lake, and I hear the raucous cries of the young great blue herons in the nesting colony on the lake's two islands.

Arriving at the lake-edge, we pause to “breathe in” the

beauty of the area. The sun, with its deeply slanted rays, casts an ochreous hue upon the hemlocks, pines and spruces of the shore. A light wind is rippling the clear, cold waters of this northern lake, and now a loon gives its quavering call, to be answered immediately by another, and then still another until we can see four of these large divers. (Later we discovered that a pair was nesting on each of the islands).

The canoe is launched and we paddle out toward the islands, pausing when halfway there. The movement of our paddles ceases, and our senses become completely attuned to the evening scene. A Swainson's thrush repeats its escalating phrases from the top of a hemlock. Serpentine herons sit in tall pines, framed like ghostly sentinels against the western sky. Gently drifting, we are awed with this wilderness spectacle. Suddenly this somniferous interlude is interrupted by the far-off howls of wolves, just as the sun dips below the horizon. It is getting late. We must head back. Yet

Continued on page 26.

Jack pines, drawn by Eva Davies


WEATHER (THIS TIME LAST YEAR)

May 2008 May was relatively cool, especially in comparison to the warm April. Mean temperatures were about 1° to 1.5° below normal, with few extremes; warming up to 28° briefly later in the month but mostly below 20°. It was particularly cool the first couple of days and again the 18th to 21st. Monthly means downtown and at Pearson Airport were 12.7° and 11.9° respectively. Showers were frequent, but generally not too heavy; total precipitation was 68.8 mm at Pearson Airport and 53.7 mm downtown (actually below the normal 73.2 mm). Sunshine hours were close to normal. It was actually a rather pleasant month overall with unusually extended springtime conditions for Toronto (lasting from early April to the end of May) and no early start to summer. Flowering shrubs persisted most of the month.

June 2008 June brought changeable weather but ended up being slightly warmer and wetter than normal. The monthly mean temperature downtown was 20.0° and at Pearson it was 19.6°, about 1° above normal in both cases. The average warmth, however, was due to a distinct heat-wave from the 6th to 9th that peaked on the 9th with highs of 33.5° downtown and 34.1° at Pearson Airport. This ended in classic fashion with thunderstorms. After the heat wave, however, conditions were generally moderate, and downright cool from the 17th to19th with daytime temperatures in the teens and nighttime temperatures in the suburbs below 10°.

Frequent weather systems brought repeated showers and thunderstorms. None of these were particularly severe, although there were isolated flood incidents on the 23rd. It was the wettest June since 2000, with 99.2 mm of rain downtown and 110.4 mm at Pearson. With much of the rain being of convective origin, sunshine was down only slightly below normal—228.5 hours as compared to the long-term average of 254.0 hours.

July 2008 Near-normal temperatures and heavy rainfall characterized July. (Overall it felt a bit cool though humid.) Downtown had a mean temperature of 22.2°, which is exactly the long-term normal. Pearson’s 21.5° was only 0.1° above the long-term average. Summer heat was moderate this year, with Pearson reaching just 31.1° on a couple of days, and a total of five 30°+ days. Downtown never breached the 30° mark all month, peaking at 29.9° on the 16th.

The big news, however, was rainfall. Downtown had 121.1 mm of rain (normal is 67.5), which was the highest for July since 1996 (123.2 mm). But Pearson’s 193.2 mm was about 2.5 times the normal and made it the wettest July on record there, beating the former record set in 1980 (182.3 mm). Incredibly, there was no severe flooding of the kind recorded in the summers of 1986, 1996 and most recently in August 2005, though mild to moderate incidents were repeated. Rainfall was fairly well-distributed over the month with several heavy downpours, notably on the 8th, 19th to 20th, and 22nd to 23rd.

Also unusual was the co-occurrence of abundant sunshine with the rainfall—290.9 hours, almost 15 hours above the normal and close to what we received during the droughty July of 2007!

August 2008 August was a relatively cool month. It began with frequent thunderstorm activity carrying over from July due to an upper-level trough, but a trend toward drier (and somewhat warmer) weather ensued after mid-month. Downtown had a monthly mean temperature of 20.6°, which is 0.7° below normal, and Pearson Airport had a mean of 19.7°, also 0.7° below normal. It was the coolest August since 2004. Pearson failed to reach 30°, peaking at 29.4° on the 18th, but downtown reached 30.2° on that day. It was the lowest monthly maximum for August at Pearson since 1992.

Monthly rainfall was 81.4 mm downtown. This is only 1.5 mm above the 1971-2000 average, but because of the dry trend of recent Augusts, it was the highest for the month since 1999! Pearson’s total rainfall was 92.6 mm. This was enough to make the June to August (and May to August) period the wettest on record at Pearson Airport. 396.2 mm fell in the three-month meteorological summer period, beating 1986’s 335.9 mm. (May to August had 465.0 mm which beat 1986’s 411.1 mm). Downtown’s June to August total was 301.7 mm, the most since 1986 which had 355.7 mm.

A certain degree of global cooling has occurred since a warm spike in January 2007. The origin of this reverse trend (or its ultimate duration) is uncertain, but may have something to do with a strong La Niňa over 2007-2008, as well as unusually low solar activity. Arctic sea ice declined sharply this August, though, pointing towards the second lowest minimum on record after 2007.

Gavin Miller


COMING EVENTS If you plan to attend any of the following events, we recommend that you

contact the organizing group beforehand to confirm time and place. Jim Baillie Memorial Bird Walks – Toronto Ornithological Club These outings are aimed at the intermediate birder but beginners are also welcome. Information: www.torontobirding.ca • Sat. May 2, 7:30 am – noon. Spring Migration, High Park. Leader: Bob Yukich.

Meet in parking area inside Bloor St. entrance across from High Park Ave. • Sat. May 9, 7:30 am – noon. Warblers, Lambton Woods. Leader: Don Burton.

Meet in parking lot in James Gardens (access from Edenbridge Dr.). • Mon. May 18, 7:45 am – all day. Peak Migration, Toronto Islands. Leader Luc Fazio.

Meet at ferry docks at foot of Bay St. to catch the 8 am ferry to Hanlan’s Point. Bring lunch. • Sat. May 23, 7:30 am – noon. Whimbrel and other Migrants, Col. Sam Smith Park. Leader: Steven Favier.

Meet in the south parking lot at the foot of Kipling Ave. North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) Information: www nanps.org, 416-631-4438. Sat. May 9, 10 am – 3 pm, sale of hard-to-find native plants and related books. Free talks on green roofs (11 am) and the decline of the native bumblebee (12:15 pm), Markham Civic Centre, Atrium, 101 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. High Park Walking Tours Meet at the benches across the road south of Grenadier Café. Donation requested. Information: 416-392-1748 ext. 5 or [email protected] or www.highpark.org

Sunday morning walks, 10:30 am Thursday evening walks for families • May 10 Returning Migratory Birds, Steven Favier. • May 21, 7 pm. Nature walk. • May 24 Spring Babies at the Zoo, Zoo staff. • June 14 Myths and Legends of High Park, Colborne Lodge staff. • June 18, 7 pm. Nature walk. • June 28 June Wildflowers, Ron Luft. • July 12 Summer Sunshine Photo-buff walk, David Allen. • July 16, 8 pm. Bat walk. • July 26 From Caterpillars to Butterflies, Don Scallen. • Aug. 9 Plants of the Oak Savannah, Jane Schmidt. • Aug. 20, 8 pm. Bat walk. • Aug. 23 Restoring the Forest, Toronto Urban Forestry.

High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program Information: www.highpark.org, click on VSP icon Sun. May 3, 11 am – 2 pm. Native Plant Sale in front of the Greenhouse off Centre Rd. Parking at Grenadier Café. Colborne Lodge, High Park March 6 – May 24. As part of the City of Toronto’s 175th Anniversary Celebration – a display of John Howard’s 1834 and 1835 watercolours of some of the early City landscapes and structures. Toronto Entomologists’ Association (TEA) See www.ontarioinsects.org for summer outings. Rouge Valley Conservation Centre Sun. May 10, 1:30 p.m. Nature Walk. Leader: Orval White. Meet at Pearse House, 1749 Meadowvale Ave., for a 2-hour loop nature walk in the Rouge Park. Bring binoculars. The Market Gallery South St. Lawrence Market, 2nd floor, 95 Front St. E. Free. Note: Gallery is closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays. Until June 13, 2009: Lit. City: Toronto Through the Eyes of Authors and Artists. Tommy Thompson Park Spring Bird Festival Sat. May 23, 8 am – 4 pm. Including guided hikes, bird identification, bird banding demonstrations, spring migration bird counts, habitat restoration, and introduction of new booklet Birds of Toronto: A Guide to their Remarkable World with speaker Bridget Stutchbury. Registration required for some events. Information: www.trca.on.ca/ttp or 416-661-6600 ext. 5770.

Continued on next page.

http://www.torontobirding.ca


http://www.highpark.org

http://www.highpark.org

http://www.ontarioinsects.org

http://www.trca.on.ca/ttp


COMING EVENTS continued from page 25 Lost Rivers Walks Information: www.lostrivers.ca • Sat. May 2, 2 pm. Jane’s Walk. Meet outside Wellesley subway station. • Sun. May 3, 1 – 3 pm. “Jane’s Bike Ride.” Pedal the Don (cycle from Sunnybrook to the Waterfront). Meet at the southeast

corner of Yonge St. and Lawrence Ave. E. near library; finish at the Paddle the Don take-out event. Information: or

• Sun. May 10, 1 pm. Aggie’s Wildflowers. Leader: Madeleine McDowell. Meet at Lambton House, 4066 Old Dundas St. W., on the east bank of the Humber River. A 2-hour circular tour of wildflowers in the Magwood Sanctuary, starting with a talk about Agnes and returning to Lambton House for tea

• Mon. May 18, 2 pm. Geology Walk. Don Inverted Triangle: Todmorden to Moore Park to Leaside along Iroquois shoreline. Leader: Ian Wheal. Meet at southwest corner of Broadview Ave. and Mortimer Ave.

• May 23-24, 10 am – 1 pm. Mud Creek Quarry Tour at Evergreen Brick Works for Doors Open Toronto. Tours will be held on the hour.

• Tues. May 26, 1:30 pm. Turtle viewing sites, Eglinton Flats ponds and wetlands. Leader: Ian Wheal. Meet at the southeast corner of Eglinton Ave. W. and Jane St.

• Sat. June 6, 2 pm. Franco-Ontarien Histoire. Leader: Ian Wheal and his amis. A walk among historic sites with a French heritage theme. Meet at the northwest corner of Spadina Ave. and Queen’s Quay. Interpretation in French and English.

• Sun. June 7. A walk for International Rivers to Oceans Day with Riversides, Lower Don and Don Delta. Check website for details.

• Tues. June 30, 1:30 pm. Humber Marshes. Meet at Old Mill subway station. • Sun. July 5, 1:30 pm. Saul’s Creek: Jewish Military Heritage. Leader: Ian Wheall. Meet at Long Branch TTC Loop. • Mon. Aug. 3, 1:30 pm – 5 pm. Amos Ponds and Altona Forest (Rouge River). Meet at Rouge Valley Conservation Centre

(Pearse House), 1749 Meadowvale Rd., east on the Toronto Zoo on-ramp. Ian Wheal Walks • Wed. July 1, 2 pm. The Horse in Toronto. Meet at the northeast corner of Queen St. E. and River St. City of Toronto Tree Plantings Weekends, May 2 – June 7. Information: 416-392-5323 or www.toronto.ca/parks/tat/treeplanting.htm School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto Mushroom identification course, September 14 – October 3 (4 evening classes and 2 Saturday field trips). Instructor: Richard Aaron. Cost: $199 + GST. Information: learn.utoronto.ca/site3.aspx or e-mail [email protected].

FROM THE ARCHIVES continued from page 23 we will linger a time longer, as if to savour every possible moment with nature. We paddle back to the shore and place the canoe in a safe location. Starting back along the trail, we soon need our flashlight to find the blazes. As the trail passes near Jack Lake I hear the “Jug-o-rum” calls of bullfrogs, and a sound like stones being knocked together, emitted by mink frogs. By the time we reach the opening where the hay-scented fern grows, a large moon has come up to cause weird shadows among the tree trunks. The haunting query of

the barred owl—“Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”—accompanies us when we near the highway. As we step on the pavement the midnight hour passes. We are both physically tired, but our spirits have been awakened by the occurrences of the past seven hours.

There is a pond beside the road, and a lone beaver swims across its moonlit surface. A speeding automobile flashes around a bend, flooding the scene with its headlights--the beaver slaps its tail--and our wilderness adventure is summarily ended.

http://www.lostrivers.ca

http://www.toronto.ca/parks/tat/treeplanting.htm



MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Your TFN membership expires June 30, 2009. To renew for the year July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, and ensure a September newsletter, either

• Cut out this form, which has your address printed on the back, or • photocopy both sides of this form, or • print the Membership application form from the TFN website and complete it, ensuring that the name

appears exactly as printed on your newsletter. If your address has changed, please indicate this so our records will be updated. Send the form with your payment by June 30 to: Toronto Field Naturalists, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1519, Toronto, ON, M5B 1J3

Contact Information: (Note: We do not sell or swap our mailing list.) Home phone: _______________ Work Phone: _______________ E-mail address: ___________________________________________ Please check your name and address on reverse of this page and modify if necessary. Remittance enclosed __ $40 Single __ $50 Family (2 adults at same address, children included) __ $30 Senior Single __ $40 Senior Family (2 adults 65+) __ $30 Student Plus a donation of $_______(tax receipts issued for donations) I/we might be willing to volunteer in the following areas:

"

Cherry blossoms in High Park, photographed by Wendy Rothwell

Outings Promotion Office help Environmental issues Newsletter Website Finance/Accounting Youth programs Other: ______________________________________________


Toronto Field Naturalists 2 Carlton St., #1519 Toronto, Ontario M5B 1J3

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American Lady butterfly, on knapweed, photographed by Margaret McRae

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