Notes from the Wild

Humans and other animals – not so different. Green herons will sometimes use leaves and other objects to lure fish within striking distance of their rapier-like beaks.

Why do so many sentinel bur oaks grace farm fields in Caledon and other parts of southern Ontario?

Bird feeding has been largely responsible for the expansion of cardinals and mourning doves into Ontario.

House sparrows may now be the most abundant and widespread bird on Earth, occupying every continent except Antarctica.

Beech trees are being destroyed at heartbreaking speed by an introduced pathogen called beech bark disease.

Where brook trout flourish, expect other exquisite wild things.

Look for Osprey near Island Lake, Orangeville.

Io moth cats sport a bristling armament of stinging hairs.

Egrets were being slaughtered by the thousands in 19th century America.

The monarchs’ table was set, but alas, they wouldn’t come to dinner.

Ravens are renowned for their ability to solve complex puzzles to obtain tasty tidbits of food.

May/June is the time that turtles emerge from a long winter’s dormancy to bask in the sun. Unfortunately fewer and fewer of them appear every spring.