Today in Nature: The Winter Ducks are Here!

November 6th: November is a yucky month for many reasons, but one of the things I like about it is that the winter ducks have started to arrive. This wonderful creature is a Hooded Merganser. The male is the show-off on the right, while his cinnamon-coloured mate on the left has tucked her head into her feathers to avoid the rain. These guys spent the summer way up north, and for them, Toronto is a great place to pass the winter. With luck, the oldsquaws will start arriving soon, another winter favourite.

Today in Nature: Some Northern Shovellers Passing Through

November 3rd: As the winter gloom descends, here's something new in the neighbourhood: there's a flock of Northern Shovelers in High Park right now. They are smaller than mallards, and have a cool, wide bill. They use it to strain water so they can suck in plankton, insects and other small life forms. Dozens of them have stopped by on Grenadier Pond before continuing their flight south for the winter.

Shovellers spend a lot of time with their heads
 in the water, spinning in circles.

A Female Northern Shoveller. 

Today in Nature: The Fall Salmon Run up the Humber River

October 27th: After voting today, I went to the Humber River, where much to my surprise the salmon are still migrating up stream . It is a victory to have fish spawning again, since in the 19th century, industry set up mills on the rivers, bringing fish runs to an end for a long time. Once the mills were gone and the water was cleaned up some, B.C. salmon (introduced) started swimming up stream, and now Atlantic salmon are being reintroduced. And the candidates think running for office is tough....

Today in Nature: Fall Colours on Fire on the Humber River

October 22nd: A beautiful, calm day on the Humber River in Toronto. Herons fishing, robins and sparrows enjoying a less crowded forest now that many of the migrating birds have left. 

Today in Nature: Alpha Males among the Wood Ducks

October 18th: These are wood ducks. The male is the colourful one at the top of the log, followed by his mate, and then a bunch of females, possibly daughters. Down at the bottom of the log there is a duck with an orange bill - that is a juvenile male. Next season he may grow his full colours and be ready to wow the females with his dashing good looks. For now, alpha male gets the best place on the log.

Today in Nature: Deer in Toronto

A White-Tailed Deer near the Humber River in Toronto

Deer can still be found in Toronto, and today I got more proof. I had been walking around a march near the Humber River, north of the Queensway, when I walked up to a meadow on my way back to my bike. But as I looked up, there was a pair of eyes looking at me. I tried to stay as still as I could while still taking pictures. I thought it had been a great day already, having seen a Great Egret in a tree, and a raccoon trying to have a nap. But the deer was definitely the prize of the day. It is awesome that these lovely creatures can still find places to live in a crowded city.

A drowsy raccoon

A Great Egret perching in a tree high above a pond.

Today in Nature: A Red Tailed Hawk at U of T

October 14th: I saw this red-tailed hawk today on the St George campus at U of T. It flew over the heads of hundreds of students at King's College Circle to land on a poor unsuspecting black squirrel. Life in the city is good if you have a taste for squirrel and pigeon. Since these prey species are all around all winter, red-tailed hawks often stay in the city all year.

Check out the paw and tail of the black squirrel dinner...

This day in Nature: The Glory of Fall

The glory of fall colours in Toronto's High Park

October 12th: It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. I am thankful for the 8000 hectares of parkland in Toronto, giving us all a chance to enjoy nature's beauty any time of year.

This Day in Nature: The Thanksgiving Chipmunk

October 13th: Stuffing your face on Thanksgiving dinner? So is this chipmunk. Its cheek pouches are filling up on goldenrod seeds. When the cheeks get full, it will head back to its underground burrow to deposit the seeds next to nuts it has been gathering. Like us, it makes the most of the fall harvest in preparation for the long winter ahead. Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Today in Nature: The Bird That Started the Study of Migrations

October 9th: This is an Eastern Phoebe. Like many birds, it is on the move, taking part in the fall migration. In fact, this species helped pioneer the study of bird migrations. In 1840, it was the first bird ever banded by John James Audubon, who wanted to study how birds migrated. To his delight, the banded Phoebes returned the next year. Today, banding helps scientists track the movements of hundreds of species. But you can also enjoy the migrations simply by looking up. I saw dozens of turkey vultures flying across the city today. Please feel free to share pictures and stories of any birds you see migrating.

Today in Nature: A Migrating Catbird

October 7th: As fall gets serious, the birds are on the move. I came across this grey catbird at U of T today, where I rarely see anything but starlings, pigeons and sparrows. I suspect it is just passing through on its way to wintering grounds in the U.S.. It isn't alone - I haven't heard any redwing blackbirds lately, so they must have taken off for warmer climes, along with many of the other songbirds.

Today in Nature: Milkweed takes Flight

October 6th: Just as the strong winds of fall begin to blow, this milkweed plant is getting ready to hitch a ride. The pods have opened, revealing up to 100 brown seeds, each one connected to a silky parachute. The design is ingenious - some seeds will fly many acres away. The seeds are the plant's future, and key to the destiny of monarch butterflies, too. These are the only plants they will lay eggs on, so a good crop of milkweed is also good for insuring the survival of these beautiful butterflies.

Today in Nature: Let the Dreaming begin!

October 5th: A friend of mine recently remarked that she doesn't like fall since it is ultimately about decay. I prefer to see fall as a kind of extended bedtime. The deciduous trees will spend the winter asleep, so this is their period ofdrowsiness, when they get undressed before going to bed. But unlike us humans, the amazing dream visions happen before they fall asleep, and are now on view for all to enjoy. If we must lose the leaves for a while, what a beautiful way to do it....

Today in Nature: The Picture that may save your life

October 2nd: This picture may save your life some day. These fungi grow on Birch trees, and are known all over the world as 'tinder' fungus. The flesh inside these hoof-shaped fungi can be used to light a fire, and carry it for long distances because it burns so slowly. Also, if you boil it in urine for a few days ( who figures this stuff out?), it becomes an excellent material for starting fires since it is very flammable. Otzi, the 5000 year old Ice Man who was found in the Alps some years ago, was carrying chunks of this fungus, along with flints for creating sparks. So if you're ever lost in the woods, and need to keep a fire going, look for this stuff.

Today in Nature: A Painted Turtle

September 25th: This is one of Ontario's eight species of turtles. It is a Midland Painted Turtle. When it gets cold, it will settle down into the bottom of a pond to nestle into the mud. These turtles have a special kind of antifreeze in their blood so that they can stand temperatures as low as -9C. Being below the ice, they are okay as long as the entire pond doesn't freeze solid. The other way of seeing this is that a Canadian turtle spends about half of its life under the ice, just dreaming of days like today when it can hang out in the sunshine....

 — at High Park.

Today in Nature: Great Egrets and the Audubon Society

September 28th: This is a Great Egret, which has played an important part in the conservation movement. The Audubon Society was created in the late 19th century to protect the Great Egret. Its long head plumes ( only seen during breeding) had become fashionable for ladies' hats, and the bird was on the verge of being hunted to extinction in North America. Efforts to protect the Great Egret led to laws forbidding the shooting of wading birds that migrate, which is one reason we can enjoy their beauty today.

Today in Nature: Deer Food and the Prehistory of Toronto

September 29th: I nearly fell when I walked on these acorns today,  it was like walking on ball bearings. Acorns are inconvenient for us, but deer like their protein for fattening up for winter, and to help males in their head-butting competitions. In the 1780s, just before the city of Toronto ( York) was established, the Mississauga tribe used to travel to the Oak Ridge Moraine to hunt for deer when the acorns dropped in the fall. Skins and smoked deer meat would then come down the Humber River to villages close to Lake Ontario.

Today in Nature: The Turtle with Antifreeze in its veins

A Painted Turtle

September 25th: This is one of Ontario's eight species of turtles. It is a Midland Painted Turtle. When it gets cold, it will settle down into the bottom of a pond to nestle into the mud. These turtles have a special kind of antifreeze in their blood so that they can stand temperatures as low as -9C. Being below the ice, they are okay as long as the entire pond doesn't freeze solid. The other way of seeing this is that a Canadian turtle spends about half of its life under the ice, just dreaming of days like today when it can hang out in the sunshine....

For more pictures and information about turtles, please visit our website at www.torontonature.com.

Today in Nature: A new Disney monster

September 24th: It is amazing what is walking around us, usually unnoticed. This little monster is about as tall as a grain of rice standing on end. He visited me on a park bench, and is so small, I had no idea how cool looking he was until I looked at the pictures. I haven't a clue what he is, and I would love to know. I bet Disney would love to model a cartoon character after him.

Today in Nature:Why do Snails Climb Trees?

September 23rd: One way of knowing if it has been raining really hard lately is whether there are snails on the trees. Snails don't like drowning, so when a downpour comes, they head for higher ground, even if it means hauling themselves straight up. Fortunately, there's lots to eat, such as mould and dry dead matter on a tree's surface. When the ground is dry, they will head back down, where they come out mostly at night to eat rotting leaves, just doing their part to keep the planet tidy.

Today in Nature: The Fall Equinox

September 22nd: Happy fall equinox, all. The term 'equinox' is Latin for 'equal night', since the ancients noticed that days and nights are roughly equal at this time of year. Here in Ontario, we are losing 2-3 minutes of sunlight each day, as we slide towards the shortest day of the year in December. That loss of sunlight is triggering all sorts of natural changes, including leaves losing their green pigment, revealing their reds, yellows and oranges.

Today in Nature: What Roots Really Look Like

September 18th: Here's a good look at what tree roots look like, thanks to an eroded hill in one the city's ravines. Roots are pretty cool - they weigh about as much as all the branches and leaves, making them an underground mirror. Roots tend to grow outward, like the bottom of a wine glass, providing stability. They usually don't go very deep, either, since their job is seek out and absorb water and minerals. The roots grow in a random way, often along the tracks made by worms or natural grooves in the soil.

Today in Nature: An American Goldfinch

September 19th: It took me a while to figure out who this was - I am pretty sure it is an adult female American Goldfinch. Their male mates are a bright yellow. This one was with a flock that was happily harvesting the seeds from these late flowering plants. Goldfinches rely on seeds, so they breed late in the summer, unlike most other birds. Once the breeding is over and the young are ready to fly, they will head south to the U.S. for the winter. I hope they have health insurance....

Today in Nature: We are all children of the corn

September 20th: I was in the country today to celebrate my Aunt and Uncle's 60th wedding anniversary. When they got married, corn was just starting to become one of North America's big crops. Scientists had figured out how to take this South American plant and change it so that it could endure being crowded together to increase crop yields. Next, they made the kernels infertile, so each year, farmers have to buy new seed. When my Aunt and Uncle got married, corn was something you ate, when you ate, well, corn. Now it is used to make 1/4 of all the stuff you can buy in the supermarket - it is in soda pop, most cereals, processed foods, and even in the plastic packaging. So if we are what we eat, we are all now children of the corn.

Today in Nature: The Tool-Using Heron

September 21st: Today was my birthday, and nature gave me a present, by having this wonderful creature fly across my path as I was riding in High Park. Green Herons are the lest common of the herons in Toronto, and are quite small. But they are smart- they are one of the few bird species that have been observed using tools. They sometimes use twigs or bread in the water to lure fish closer.  So, it was a real treat to see this one today. We are surrounded by wonders....

This day in nature: A glorious Great Blue Heron

September 17th: This is why they are called Great *Blue* Herons. What gorgeous plumage. This is a mature heron, who will be leaving us in a month or two to fly down south. If you ever see a Great Blue while on holiday is Florida or Cuba, you may be looking at a fellow Torontonian.

This day in nature: Where do Raccoons sleep?

September 16th: I spotted this ball of fur high in a tree today. It is a sleeping raccoon, and since it is alone, it is probably a male. Raccoons have matrilineal societies - mothers sleep with their young, as well as their grown daughtersfrom previous breeding years ( and their young). Males, on the other hand, sleep alone once they are adults, and shift spots every few days. So if you have raccoons in your garage, they may be different ones every few days. Raccoons like to move around, even the mothers and their young.

for more information on raccoons, please visit our website at http://www.torontonature.com/raccoonsinthecity.php

This day in nature: Galling leaves

September 14th: These strange growths are called 'galls', and when I told my wife what they were, she said they made human sex seem clean, neat and tidy. Here's why: bugs like aphids bite the bottom of the leaf, secreting special chemicals. The leaf reacts by growing the gall, which is like a defence mechanism. What it doesn't realize is that the bug lays eggs within the gall, which serves as the new home for the young ones as they hatch and eat. When the gall turns red, it is ready to burst open, Alien-like, to release the juvenile insects into the world. The good news is that the plant survives all of this just fine. On the up side, it does make human reproduction seem downright neat.

Today in Nature: Tracking Monarch Butterfly Migrations

September 10th: So here is how scientists track the migrations of monarch butterflies. I came across this one in High Park today. The tag is from the University of Kansas, which invites people in North America to affix these tags to the butterflies so their routes can be tracked. I have emailed them with the information, and hopefully they will let us know where this butterfly has been. It is possible it was tagged here. However, it is the right time of year for it to head south for Mexico. If so, this may be one of its last days in our fair city before making its amazing journey southwards. I'll let you know if the University gets back to me about where it was tagged. Cool, eh?

Today in Nature: The Harvest Moon

September 9th: If you look out the window over the next few nights, you'll spot a Harvest Moon. Due to the closeness to the fall equinox on September 23rd, it will seem like we have several nights of bright full moons. The Harvest Moon usually occurs within two weeks before or after the equinox. This year, it is before, which means that while the nights are still reasonably warm you can get a chance to check it out.

This year the moon will even look a little bigger than usual, due to its current position and rotation, making it what astronomers call a Super Moon. But ultimately, it is really just pretty, a beacon in the last nights before fall officially begins.

www.torontonature.com

This day in Nature: Heavenly Grass

September 8th: This heavenly-looking grass is Chinese Silvergrass. The silver head is beautiful, and full of seeds. Thousands of seeds will be lofted into the air by this stand of plants alone, which may explain how this grass got here. It is an ornamental grass that probably escaped from someone's garden on the wind, and now grows in the sheltered valley of Mimico Creek, far from any house.

How many creatures are in this picture?

September 5th: In honour of this being the first week of school, a picture to share with the kids: how many creatures do you see in this picture, and what are they? Hint: all of them have appeared in the Nature Diary this summer. All answers welcome. Thanks to High Park and serendipity for the image.

Today in Nature: Mating Monarch Butterflies

Mating Monarch Butterflies

September 3rd: Birds do it, bees do it, and this is how monarch butterflies do it. The male has his wings outstretched. The thin black dot near the bottom of his wing contains a scent which has attracted this female. The fact that this pair is mating means they won't be flying south this fall. Their offspring will do that, being born without active sex organs, so they will have the strength to head to Mexico. If they get there, next spring, they will breed, with newly matured sexual organs. Their parents, seen here, have a lifespan of just 3-5 weeks as butterflies. Their great-great-grandparents arrived in Toronto this past spring. Die young, stay pretty?

This Day in Nature: We have even changed the weeds at the side of the road

September 2nd: I spent much of yesterday and today on the 401, driving my son to Montreal for school. Along the way, practically every roadside ditch was thick with this plant, known as Phragmite Australis. I wondered why there was so much of it. Turns out, it is an invasive species from Europe that likes brackish ( i.e., salty) water. Scientists suspect that the reason it is so common beside highways is that the salt from the roads keeps the ditch water brackish, an environment this plant loves. Everything really does affect everything else, in ways we can barely fathom....

This Day in Nature: The American Dagger Moth

September 1st: This living, breathing stuffed animal is the caterpillar form of the American dagger moth. It's not much to look at as a moth, butcheck out those black daggers coming out of the Telly Tubby yellow coat! In October this little guy will find a place to create a cocoon, then spend the winter laying low, transforming. In the spring it will fly away as a brown moth.

Today in Nature: Why don't woodpeckers get concussions?

August 29th: So, if boxers, hockey and football players get concussions, why don't woodpeckers? Turns out that their heads have evolved to soften the blow. Their rapid pecking at trees can generate impacts 1000 times the force of gravity, but their necks absorb much of the shock, while their skulls are thickened in front to protect their brains. If only helmets on hockey players were so effective....

Today in Nature: Ospreys

August 28th: What a nice present for the end of summer - another encounter with the Osprey that has taken up residence along the Humber River.  Ospreys are one of the great comeback stories of the last 50 years. They almost disappeared during the DDT  decades, but when that pesticide was banned, they started to return, thanks to environmentalists in southern Ontario who built platforms for their nests. Their return also means the fish are worth eating. Things *can* get better.

Today in Nature: Digger wasps.

August 26th: Wasps get a bad rap due to their sting. Some wasps, like this digger wasp, don't live in colonies, but lead solitary lives, with homes underground. This one is in the act of digging in front of its lair. Under the sand it has a tunnel with up to eight rooms, where it stores captured insects. It lays eggs in their bodies, so that during the winter, its young will have something to feed on, before they emerge as wasps next year. There were lots of these holes along a path in Toronto's High Park. It is amazing what lies just beneath our feet ( and our notice).

Today in Nature: Swimming Through the Air

August 25th: This very little fellow landed on my book as I was reading outside today. For a flying insect this small, the world is very different than it is for us. On a humid day like today, the air is thick, akin to how water feels to us when we are swimming. So this guy's wings don't flap so much as stroke through the air, like paddling a kayak.

For daily nature photos, subscribe to the blog, or sign up to the Toronto Nature Diary on Facebook.

www.torontonature.com.

Today in Nature: The "Jesus Bug"

August 24th: This amazing insect has the nickname the "Jesus Bug", for its ability to water on water. It is actually a water slider. For us, water is just wet, but for a bug this small, the surface of the water is solid, like a thick film, due to the surface tension. Its legs are covered in hairs which contain air pockets, thus keeping the bug on top of the water, like a natural hovercraft. It uses its middle legs for propulsion, and its hind legs to steer. The front two two legs grab onto prey what fall onto the water, like insects. It can also feed on creatures that rise out of the water like tadpoles.

So is water soft or hard? It all depends on who is asking, a little bug or a heavier animal like us.

For daily nature photos, subscribe to the blog, or sign up to the Toronto Nature Diary on Facebook.

www.torontonature.com.