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: 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.

Deer in Toronto: An August Trip down the Humber River

Every summer, I look forward to a chance to take a kayak down the Humber River, south of Bloor Street in Toronto. The Humber is the city's best wildlife corridor, and never fails to reveal an amazing array of animals and birds. 

This year, as soon as I headed out from the Old Mill launch , I spotted an Osprey fishing in the river, easily seen from the subway line. The Osprey hovered, then dove down to catch a fish, and even floated on the water for a while. Of course, all of this occurred before I could get my camera out. Later on, I found the Osprey again in one of the lower marshes. This is the second time I have seen an Osprey along the Humber this year, so it appears one has made this area its home.

My favourite spots along the river are the marshes that have formed on the eastern side. The first of these marshes has a narrow opening that curves northward to reveal a lagoon filled with lily pads. A Great Blue Heron was fishing in one the open breaks among the plants. 

As I drifted away from the heron, I was hoping to see a turtle somewhere. However, I caught some movement on shore, and found myself looking into the eyes of a white-tailed deer. I have seen deer along the river before, and it never ceases to amaze me that a city as big and busy as Toronto still has a few deer living along this thin green corridor. I only wish we had left more of the city green so there could be more room for them to roam.

Later on, I went down to the second, larger marsh, where I came across what's left of a cormorant rookery. In years past, this nesting area was much bigger and busier. This is where the cormorants raise their young earlier in the summer. The trees are dead due to the toxic effect of the birds' feces. Further north, I spotted a few new trees that had been taken over by the birds. They, too, will end up dead, the price trees pay for being good places to nest.

All in all, it was a wonderful morning on the water. If you are interesting in renting a kayak to go down the Humber, I used The Toronto Adventures Company, whose prices are quite reasonable. I highly recommend taking the time to do a trip.I have found with lots of stops, I can get down to the lake and back in two hours.  It is a wonderful way to see Toronto's wildlife up close. 

- Stephen Milton, of www.torontonature.com.

If you would like to get a free nature picture every day, sign up for the Toronto Nature Diary on Facebook.