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.