Notes from the Wild

Newts fall in love too but, as in human affairs, persistence, gentle wooing and perhaps a splash of cologne can help win the day.

Look closely in the crystal clear streams and ponds around Caledon and you can likely spot Jefferson salamander eggs, neatly aligned along supports like twigs.

Huge skulls from more than 10,000 years ago reveal a time when beavers as big as bears called this area home.

Owls generate great excitement among birders, and they tug, irresistibly, at our heart strings with those big, expressive eyes.

Trees like ginkgos and dawn redwoods are called “living fossils” due to their ancient origins that date back to the days of the dinosaurs.

Resisting the urge to chatter may help humans catch glimpses of elusive animals.

Using venom, camouflage and jump scare tactics, snakes find many ways to survive and escape danger.

While humans peacefully slumber the forest comes alive with tiny creatures busy preparing for the cold.

There’s no need to fear these alien-looking creatures … unless you’re a butterfly or wasp.

A milkweed patch thrums with life, full of moths, spiders, butterflies, amphibians and more.

Underwater video taken at local conservation areas capture the male Pumpkinseed sunfish in action

Without a proper ‘runway’, horned grebes are unable to achieve lift-off, effectively leaving them stranded if they happen to land in small watering holes.