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MANITOULIN ISLAND MANITOULIN ISLAND CHAPTER

By Aniruddha Dhamorikar

Wanderer’s Eye

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Preface

It was years ago that I heard of the biggest island surrounded by freshwater called Manitoulin. But it was not until May that I knew I would

have the opportunity to work on this island. This is a little effort in mapping the biodiversity of Manitoulin Island, with primary focus on

photography and identification of flora and fauna.

The Island is an extension of Niagara Escarpment and continuation of Bruce Peninsula, making it a diverse place rich in indigenous

populations of plants and some insects. It is also a staging ground for birds migrating from the boreal forests, where they feed, breed and

move southwards with the coming of winter. This uniqueness of Manitoulin Island, along with its varied habitats from the endangered

alvars to diverse wetlands, to sandy beaches and rocky shores, deserves to be studied and cherished by every naturalist.

I spent the months of July and August assisting in a research project on habitat use, migratory behaviour, and vital rates of Sandhill Cranes,

where I observed and studied the natural history of Manitoulin Island.

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Acknowledgment

Long Point Waterfowl (LPW) has given me the opportunity to work as well as learn about the Great Lakes ecology. I am thankful to LPW staff for encouraging me to explore and for the guidance. I would like to thank Scott Petrie and Ted Barney for entrusting me with the work I love doing. I would like to thank Everett Hanna, without whom I would not know so much about flora and fauna of Ontario as I do today, and my colleague Scott Bossuyt, for being a constant support and a good friend. Last but not the least; I would like to thank Allison McInnis, my Co-op Advisor; and Holly Sanderson, for selecting me for the Master’s in

Environment & Sustainability degree, and to my classmates who made me feel at home.

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Manitoulin is the largest island

surrounded by freshwater. It also has the

largest lake – Lake Manitou on a freshwater

island in the world. The photograph was

taken on the south shore of Manitoulin

Island, looking over Lake Huron.

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Lake Huron is the third largest

freshwater lake in the world. Well known for

its cold, clear waters, Lake Huron also

supports unique shoreline habitats such as

alvars, marshes, fen, rocky and sand beaches.

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Lake Huron shore is a fascinating

place to hunt for fossils. Many freshwater

mollusks as well as corals dating back to

Silurian period – about 400 million years ago

can be seen on rocky surfaces on the lake

shore.

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Manitoulin Island harbors a number

of indigenous species of plants. The

limestone foundations called Alvars –

considered to be an endangered habitat, are

home to a variety of animals and plants

unique to this habitat.

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Apart from the extensive

wetland and forest systems,

Manitoulin has vast agricultural fields,

primarily growing animal fodder.

Major crops include Barley, Oats and

Alfalfa, but Hay and Corn is also

grown on the island. These fields

form a diet rich grounds for many

birds, such as the Sandhill Cranes.

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Flora of Manitoulin Island

Aster sp. Manitoulin harbours many endemic species of plants found nowhere else on the planet. I made a little effort to photograph the

flora during the months of July and August, and observed how the colours change with every passing week. This is a small

effort to appreciate the beauty of Manitoulin’s flora through my lens.

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Aster sp. Asteraceae is a large family of plants known for their star-like arrangement of florets. Every petal of the flower is in fact a

flower – forming an inflorescence. The picture is that of Daisy, a common plant seen on shorelines of Lake Huron.

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Cichorum intybus Commonly called Wild Chicory, it is a member of the Asteraceae family. The irresistible pastel blue colour of

the flowers attracts many bees, bugs and butterflies.

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Centaurea americana Also called as American Basketflower, it is common along roadsides and wastelands. The butterfly

sipping nectar is European Skipper.

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Zigadenus elegans Commonly called as Elegant Camas, it is placed in the same family as Trilliums – Melanthiaceae. The

flowers are extremely poisonous.

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Asclepias syriaca Commonly called Milkweed, it is a well known food plant of Monarch butterfly. The plant’s latex contains

glycosides, making it toxic to many animals. The Monarch caterpillars are, however, are capable of storing

these glycosides, making them unpalatable to potential predators.

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Iris versicolor The Harlequin Blueflag is a beautiful perennial herb, occurring along waterside. The flowering period is

May-July.

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Campanula rotundifolia Harebell is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Known to grow on

dry grasslands, they are also commonly seen in rock crevices.

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Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal Flower, easily identified by bright red

flowers along swamps and stream banks, are hard

to miss. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, named

so because of the similarity of the flower’s colour

to the Roman Catholic Cardinals.

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Lobelia kalmii

Also called Ontario Lobelia, it is commonly found

in rocky shores and wet alvars. It starts flowering

in July and lasts till September.

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Parnassia palustris

Marsh flower-of-Parnassus also inhabits wetland

ecosystem such as bogs and marshes.

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Spiranthes romanzoffiana Hooded Lady’s-tresses is a species of Orchid. It is

native to North America, seen amongst grasses and

Horsetails along the lakeshore.

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Drosera intermedia Also called Spoonleaf Sundew, Drosera is an

insectivorous plant. The leaf blades are covered

with stalked mucilaginous glands which secrete

sugary nectar to attract insects. Some insects get

stuck and or die. The plant then secrets digestive

enzymes from sessile glands and consume the

nutritive solution of the insect. It was

photographed in a fen – an ideal habitat for this

unique plant.

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Sarracenia purpurea

Purple Pitcher Plant, is a carnivorous plant – the leaves of which are designed like a pitcher to

collect rainwater. The lid of the leaf, seen on the next page, is covered in downward pointing

hair; hence any insect sitting on the leaf edge slips into the pitcher. The prey, such as ants, flies

and spiders are then digested by an invertebrate community of mosquito and midge larva. Later,

microbes take over the organic matter, converting it into minerals, which is ultimately consumed

by the plant.

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Sarracenia purpurea - Leaf Sarracenia purpurea - Flower A close-up of the leaf showing the downward-

pointing hair. The red lip of the pitcher is attractive

to insects – and hence spiders, because of nectar.

The flowers of S. purpurea are held singly on long

stems – well above the pitcher traps to avoid the

trapping of potential pollinators.

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Butterflies of Manitoulin Island

Monarch Danaus plexippus

Summer is the peak season for butterfly activity. Whether it is a caterpillar or an imago, one can observe these

delicate flutter by’s as they visit flower to flower, innocently spreading pollens for next summer. I recorded twelve

species of butterflies, from Viceroy – a mimic of Monarch to the flocks of European Skippers.

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Monarch – Caterpillar feeding on Common Milkweed Danaus plexippus

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Viceroy Limenitis archippus

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American Lady – on Joe Pye weed Vanessa virginiensis

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Butterflies of Manitoulin Island

White Admiral/ Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis

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Atlantis Fritillary – on Goldenrod Speyeria atlantis

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Atlantis Fritillary – Female,

laying eggs Speyeria atlantis

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Pearl Crescent – Mating pair Phyciodes tharos

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Compton’s Tortoiseshell/ False Comma Nymphalis vaualbum

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Dorcas Copper Lycaena dorcas

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Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus

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European Skippers – on Canadian Thistle Thymelicus lineola

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Leonard’s Skipper Hesperina leonardus

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Little Glassywing Pompeius verna

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Odonata of Manitoulin Island

Ebony Jewelwing - Male Calopteryx maculata

Dragonflies and Damselflies fall in the order Odonata. The Odonata diversity is related to the

quantity and quality of the water, which is plenty and clean at Manitoulin Island. I recorded four

species of Damselflies and two species of Dragonflies, although there are plenty more along

streams, lakes and bogs.

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River Jewelwing - Male Calopteryx aequabilis

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River Jewelwing - Female Calopteryx aequabilis

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Hagen’s Bluet - Pair Enallagma hageni

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Eastern Forktail - Male Ischnura verticalis

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Canada Darner – Female, laying eggs Aeshna canadensis

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Racket-tailed Emerald Dorocordulia libera

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Beetles of Manitoulin Island

Purple Tiger Beetle Cicindela purpurea

Beetles are diverse as well as unique to Manitoulin Island, apart from the invasive Green Immigrant Leaf

Weevil, displayed in this section, Manitoulin Island hosts endemic Tiger Beetles of Canada, such as the

Purple Tiger Beetle – a hard-to-find species, and C. longilabris, a Tiger Beetle of the Boreal regions of

Canada.

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Cicindela repanda

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Cicindela longilabris

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Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil Polydrusus sericeus

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Other Insects of Manitoulin Island

Carolina Grasshopper – wing pattern The insect diversity is as abundant as plant diversity, the commonest ones of

which are Grasshoppers that, although dull on the outside, flaunt colourful

hindwings. Ants, as well as Mayflies are also seen throughout the island.

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Carolina Grasshopper

Dissosteria carolina

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Ant tending to Aphids

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Mayfly

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Arachnids of Manitoulin Island

Tetragnatha Spider

Where there are abundant insects, there are spiders. Spiders inhabit different niches, such as a Tetragnatha

Spider that prefers to build orb-shaped webs in low-lying shrubs, Wolf Spiders that prefer to wander on

rocks, and Crab Spiders, who rather sit patiently on flowers, awaiting prey. The closest cousins of Spiders –

Harvestman, are abundant on the island as well, inhabiting most of the low-lying shrubs and forest floors.

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Wolf Spider – carrying spiderlings on the abdomen

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Crab Spider

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Harvestman

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Amphibians & Reptiles of Manitoulin Island

Gray Tree Frog Hyla versicolor

The Herpetofauna of Manitoulin Island is comprised of most of the southern Ontario species, from the most beautiful

Gray Tree Frogs to the skittish Green Frogs, and from the common Eastern Garter Snakes to the elusive Massassauga

Rattle Snakes. Although I only came across the common species of snakes, I was surprised to find high number of

roadkills especially that of Milksnakes as pictured in this section. Turtles form an integral part of Manitoulin’s aquatic

ecosystem as well.

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Gray Tree Frog – colour morphs Hyla versicolor

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Green Frog Rana clamitans

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Green Frog Rana clamitans

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Northern Leopard Frog Rana pipiens

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American Toad Bufo americanus

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Painted Turtle - female Chrysemys picta

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Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina

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Eastern Garter Snake - hatchling Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

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Eastern Garter Snake - adult Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

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Northern Water Snake Nerodia sipedon

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Milk Snake - roadkill Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

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Birds of Manitoulin Island

Dunlin Calidris alpina

The birdlife is diverse as one goes from the inland towards the shoreline. Manitoulin is a staging ground for many

shorebirds, such as Sandpipers. It also hosts a healthy population of Sandhill Cranes. The birds-of-prey, such as the

migrant Merlin to breeding Ospreys are abundant, but one is also bound to see Bald Eagles soaring in the sky.

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Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla

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Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis

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American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus

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American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

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Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia

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Turkey Vultures - basking Cathartes aura

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Merlin – feeding on a sparrow Falco columbaris

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Merlin Falco columbaris

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Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

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Osprey Pandion haliaetus

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Sandhill Cranes of Manitoulin Island

Sandhill Cranes Grus canadensis

Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America. It is known to have the longest fossil histories of any extant bird.

Manitoulin Island harbours a vast population of Sandhill Cranes, thanks to the extensive wetlands as well as

farmlands, where the birds roost and feed respectively. I had the opportunity to work on Sandhill Cranes, to track

the migration pathway, specifically of Manitoulin’s cranes by GPS transmitters.

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The Sandhill Cranes were extirpated from Ontario within the last century. However, thanks the conservation efforts, the species has

reestablished on the northern shore of Lake Huron, Ontario. The cranes are omnivorous, feeding on insects as well as rodents, but the

major part of their diet comprises of seeds. Their call is high pitched, and contains complex, distinct notes which can be heard over a mile.

The photograph was taken when we captured a crane to attach a GPS transmitter.

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Sandhill Cranes migrate to southern parts of America, such as Texas and Mexico. Prior to fall season, hundreds of cranes flock together to begin

the migration. I observed this behavior over the two months spent at Manitoulin. We observed dispersed populations during the month of July,

when the summer is at its peak and food is abundant. In the month of August, the birds start to flock together in cut fields. This behavior is not

only observable for the cranes, but for other birds such as blackbirds and woodpeckers as well. As the season passes, many more cranes from

Northern Ontario will migrate to Manitoulin in thousands, marking the beginning of the great migration.

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Attached GPS transmitter and a bird band

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Measuring the wing-cord length of a captured bird

Measuring the tarsal-length of a captured bird

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Measuring the culmen length of a captured bird

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Sandhill Crane congregation in hayfield

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Sandhill Cranes are intelligent, cautious birds. Their social

system – be it a pair with a juvenile or a flock of more

than three birds, is mostly lead by the elder birds.

Observations in the field have mostly shown males to be

more on guard compared to the females.

They are one of the most expressive birds,

communicating with one another by dancing, or by calls.

Fall is the best season to see them dance, as males and

females offer nuptial gifts to one another, and run and

jump across the fields, flapping their wings merrily. The

calls are complex and distinct, from a high-pitched tone of

being alert or warning, to a credulous, joyous tone while

playing with one another.

I have been fortunate to have done my little part in

studying as well as working for this magnificent crane.

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“A wren in hand is better than a crane to be caught, But a crane in hand is better than naught.”

- Adapted from an Irish proverb

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References

Emmitt, R. (2005). Species List. Retrieved from Butterflies of Carolinas & Virginias: http://www.rlephoto.com/species_list.htm

Fyon, A. (2010). Alvars types and flowering plants. Retrieved from Andy's northern wildflowers:

http://www.ontariowildflower.com/manitoulin_limestone_beach.htm

Hanna, E. (2010). Habitat use, migratory behaviour, and vital rates of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) on the North Shore of Lake Huron, Ontario.

Marshall, S. (2000, March). Tiger Beetles of Ontario. Retrieved from University of Guelph: http://www.uoguelph.ca/debu/tiger-beetles.htm --

Pictures on Page 84 and 85 photographed by Scott Bossuyt and Everett Hanna respectively.