Diario de rnaval

Date: Monday, December 2, 2019
Time: 16:30-17:00h
Duration: 30min
Location: Waterloo Park in Waterloo, ON
Weather: -1 degrees Celsius; overcast
Habitat/Vegetation Type: mixed deciduous forest; urban park

Waterloo park is an urban park in the heart of Waterloo. It is surrounded by urban development and contains many elements meant for human recreation such as soccer fields, playgrounds, and paved paths. Despite these urban features, there is an abundance of forested area where many types of wildlife can usually be found. Laurel Creek runs through the park and provides a ready source of water. The riparian zone, however, is poorly developed meaning the stream quality may be poor. With several mm of snow on the ground, vegetation was difficult to identify. Some stands of dead burdock and goldenrod were left standing. The understory was dense, which would not allow larger wildlife to navigate easily. All the leaves had fallen by this time, though some stands of sumac could still be identified.

The snow made wildlife tracks more visible, though it had to be distinguished from dog prints. Some prints appeared to have a hopping pattern, possibly a small rabbit or squirrel. More recognizable squirrel tracks were found later on leading into the forested area. No actual squirrels were observed. They have concentrated themselves at the University of Waterloo, where many can be seen dumpster diving for food.

Some crows could be heard in the distance, but none were observed. Two different groups of Canadian geese were spotted flying overhead in an easterly direction. Given that all the vegetation has gone dormant and the amount of snow on the ground, it is likely most wildlife have either migrated to areas with more favourable conditions or they are in a state of dormancy. Interestingly, many birds can still be seen around the University of Waterloo campus, whereas this semi-natural area appeared void of wildlife. They may be feeding on human sources of food.

Date: Sunday, November 10, 2019
Time: 08:45-09:45h
Duration: 1h
Location: Rouge National Urban Park in Scarborough, ON
Weather: 3 degrees Celsius; overcast
Habitat/Vegetation Type: marsh; beachfront on Lake Ontario

The site visited is a section of Rouge National Urban Park that contains a marsh area that flows into Lake Ontario. Majority of the vegetation was cat tail mixed with patches of phragmites. Other notable vegetation were maple, white pine, sumac, and buckthorn. There was some evidence of ice in the marsh as temperatures were near freezing, likely dipping below zero over night. Much of the coast line was paved roads and sidewalks, as much of the area was built up for human use. On the other side of the marsh lay a row of houses before it extends further into the protected park area. There is also a nearby Go Train track that amplifies noise pollution in the area. The marsh is fenced off to prevent people from crossing over, but it also create a physical barrier for wildlife movement.

Several birds nest could be seen atop a number of trees, as all the leaves had fallen by this time. All wildflowers had gone to seed, providing a potential food source for birds. Many songbirds could be heard in the distance. One cardinal was positively ID'd. It was male, though its bright red plumage was muted in order to camouflage during the winter months.

On the water, a group of seagulls could be seen in the distance. There were also a pair of mallards swimming near the built dock. More waterfowls could be seen in the distance, though they were too far to identify. The only visible characteristics were they had white feathers and were diving beneath the water to obtain food. In another part of the marsh, a heron was recognized by its unique silhouette. Its plumage was also noticeably muted. Further onto the shoreline, some scat was found, most likely from a squirrels judging from the size. It was found closer to the nearby neighbourhood where there was a greater density of trees.

Moving into the beach area, there was an abundance of fishing lines caught on the overhead bridge. This is evidence of fish in the water, though species composition is unknown. On a small peninsula, there was another group of seagulls. This area of the beach is known to have countless Canadian geese, though none were observed at this time. The beach, however, was still covered in their scat which was mostly old and dried up, indicating they had not been in the area for some time. A raptor was also seen flying overhead.

There was evidence of beaver activity as one trees behind between the fence and the road had been partially gnawed through. The cut seemed relatively fresh as the wood still had signs of moisture. With the fence acting as a barrier, it may be possible the beaver gave up or will return to try again later.

Date: Saturday, October 26, 2019
Time: 15:10-16:30h
Duration: 1h 20min
Location: Rouge National Urban Park in Scarborough, ON
Weather: 9 degrees Celsius; slight overcast
Habitat/Vegetation Type: mixed deciduous forest; upland meadow

Rouge National Urban Park is a protected piece of land in the middle of the Greater Toronto Area. It has numerous hills making elevation heterogenous, and contains two shallow rivers that run parallel to each other, called Twin Rivers. A road splits the park in half, and there are a number of trails used by nearby residents. In the upland meadow, there are major power lines that cut through the area. 20 years ago there would have been signs of cautioning against deer and turtle crossings, but those signs have since been removed possibly indicating they are no longer in the area. People often fish in the rivers, though catch rates are unknown.

The riparian zone of the rivers is fairly developed, except along the major trails leading away from the parking lot. A single fish carcass was observed rotting atop a rock. Judging from the decay it had been dead for some time. Species and cause of death were unknown. Some crickets and other insects could be heard in the nearby grasses, providing a potential food source for various wildlife.

The forest was mixed deciduous, with some trembling aspen, birch, and cedar. Some cleared areas along the trails had turned into small grasslands. In one of these areas a lone tree no taller than 5m held a small bird's nest, no bigger than a fist. It may be from a small songbird. Buckthorn was present but not overwhelming. Many still held a majority of their berries. Along the road there was a raccoon carcass that had been run over. It was likely an urban raccoon venturing into the nearby suburban neighbourhood for food.

In some areas, the understory was thick and would be difficult to travel through, but others were clear with nothing but leaf litter. These may have been areas where deer would have travelled. One area had a concentration of red oak, though most of the acorns may have been preyed upon with sparse individuals on the forest floor. Blue jays are known to be in the area, but none were spotted at this time. There were also some surrounding white pine. A chipmunk was spotted nearby scrounging through the leaf litter, possibly burying food. Not many birds could be heard, though noise pollution could have been creating interference.

At 16:06h I entered into an upland meadow. More birds seemed to be present as they could be heard in the nearby forested area, but none were visible. In the meadows, there were some old bird boxes though usage was undetermined. Overhead a seagull was spotted flying over the area.

The difficulty in observing wildlife may have been due to a decreasing abundance of food as winter draws closer. Another possibility is they are better camouflaged as the forest and wildlife begin to lose their colour. This is especially true of birds who at this time of year are becoming less vibrant in order to blend into the background. Being surrounded by urban development may have extirpated many species that could be previously found.

Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Time: 09:30-10:30h
Duration: 1h
Location: Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon, ON
Weather: 6 degrees Celsius; clear skies
Habitat/Vegetation Type: badlands surrounded by mixed deciduous forests

The surrounding forest of the badlands was heavily degraded with an overabundance of common buckthorn along the trails. The soil was heavily compacted, typical of the badlands, but the understory appeared to provide a decent growing substrate. The adjacent forest stand seemed relatively young, being no more than 10m tall. The leaves were changing colours and beginning to fall, and the buckthorn still held many of their berries. Closer to the parking lot, there were planted red oak and rudbeckia. Some sumac were also present. There were no observable sources of water. Some other observed vegetation include maples, cedars, wild strawberry, goldenrod and aster going to seed, wild carrot, and some apple trees from a former orchard. In the badlands themselves, there was 0% canopy cover with sparse patches of vegetation. The soil was barren, and a fence surrounded the area to prevent visitors from walking in the area, which would also act as a barrier to wildlife movement. It is also adjacent to a major road, though traffic flow through is unknown.

In the immediate vicinity of the site, a single chipmunk was spotted along the trails. Closer to the badlands, some unidentified birds were moving through some nearby bush, possibly American robins. For the most part, the area was silent with barely audile bird calls in the distance. A handful of crows could be heard. Of note, 10min away from the Badlands some blue jays were spotted, indicating some level of biodiversity in the wider region.

Given the time of year, it is possible most wildlife had migrated to areas with a higher abundance of food. While there is vegetation growth, it is predominately non-native invasive species. If the range is broadened there are more forested areas with more mature trees, but the suitability for habitat of those sites could not be determined without a visit. Many of the leaves were beginning to fall with the asters and goldenrod going to see. The thick understory would not be suitable for larger mammals, giving wildlife like the chipmunk a distinct advantage. The early time of day may have also been a factor, as it was still cool. It is unlikely there are any amphibians in the area given how dry the soil is, though reptiles may be present but in hiding.

Date: Saturday, September 14, 2019
Time: 07:30-10:00h
Duration: 2.5h
Location: MapleCross Nature Reserve in Schomberg, ON
Weather: 15 degrees Celsius; clear skies but mixed clouds at 08:50h; heavy rain the previous night
Habitat/Vegetation Type: Majority grasslands with adjacent mixed coniferous forest; tree plantation; agricultural land in surrounding region

The area is a privately owned nature reserve not open to to public. It was converted from a tree plantation of an unidentified coniferous tree. While there are small patches of forest bordering the area, on the north side of the plantation there is a sizeable mixed coniferous forest. To the south and east were primarily agricultural land. On site, there were no observable sources of water, though aerial maps show a few small bodies of water a few hundred metres away.

Some of the trees and shrubs that were identified were as follows: maple, oak, common buckthorn, white pine, trembling aspen, sumac, raspberry bushes, beech, spruce, and some crabapple trees.

Some of the herbaceous plants in the area were as follows: wild strawberry, blood root, dandelions, common milkweed, joe pye weed, grape vine, red clover, vetch, poison ivy, and majority goldenrod and asters in the grassland areas.

The observed birds were as follows: mourning dove, eastern phoebe, cardinal, American robin, catbird, chickadee, downy woodpecker, blue jay, white breasted nuthatch, cedar waxwing, house wren, golden finch, and black billed cuckoo. Flying overhead crows, geese, king fisher, and a broad winged falcon were spotted.

Other notable wildlife were a red squirrel, American toad, and monarch butterflies.

The asters and goldenrod were beginning to seed, providing a potential food source for songbirds. The abundance of observed bird species is likely due to the rural nature of the region rather than any specific site features. It is 30km from the nearest major urban area, and surrounded by a number of conservation areas. With the ability for a wide dispersal range for birds, it is difficult to estimate the habitat range of the observed wildlife.

While a few birds were sighted inside the plantation, a majority of the birds were found in the bordering forest area or flying overhead. Of note, nearly half the birds sited were found in a small patch of forest south of the plantation with large oak trees. This may be due to the food source that it provides, especially with blue jay dispersal of acorns. With a 70% canopy cover in the interior, however, it may have more to do with the amount of shelter provided.

Due to cools temperatures, few monarchs were sited despite the abundance of nectar sources. Towards the middle of the afternoon when it became warmer more monarchs began to appear, but the sampling period had ended by that time. The lack of mammals in area is likely due to limited food and suitable habitat. Other than the patch of forested area in the north, it is much smaller than other nearby conservation areas and is disconnected by the surrounding farmland.

This was part of a bioblitz organized by the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust. The first half of the day was dedicated to birding, with advanced guides identifying specimens by both sight and sound. The latter half was dedicated to monarch monitoring, though observations about other wildlife continued to be made.