Food Security in Toronto

A few weeks ago many shelves in a large grocery store in Toronto were empty.  At the self-checkout counter a bottle of "diet" ginger ale was being purchased.  In a food insecure environment are "diet" products desired and/or needed?

Toronto's Heartbeat

The rhythm of Toronto's heartbeat has changed.  The streets are close to silent as the number of cars using them has diminished greatly.  Early one morning I noticed two squirrels arguing in the middle of a once busy downtown street without fear of being run over by a car.  I do wonder what urban wildlife think about this changed heartbeat and how it might impact their behavior.

Canada Goose

This picture was taken May 2019.  For some reason a pair of geese decided to make a ledge on the second floor of my home their home away from home.  Did I say whose home it is?  They said a final good-bye in June of 2019.  When I returned home from work last night the street was silent except the calls of a pair of geese.  Looking up from outside there they were sitting on the same ledge!

Turkey Vultures

On the way home from work today I decided to pop in the cemetery to see if my unidentified bird of prey was hanging around.  Instead of the bird I saw March 21 2020 I found 3 or 4 Turkey vultures in the same area.  Specifically these guys were in a tree behind a house at 730 Merton Street.

Unidentified Bird of Prey

For many weeks I have heard about an unidentified large bird of prey in Mount Pleasant cemetery.  The reported location was the east side of cemetery, section 47.  Yesterday I did see a large bird in this section (see below) but I was unable to take a picture of the bird.  The bird took flight as soon as I stepped off the pavement and on to the grass.  While sitting in the fir tree the bird looked dark brown.  When it took flight  the underside was white/beige.  The tail did not appear to be red.  The bird looked larger than a red-tailed hawk when in flight.  The bird did one flap of it's wings and poof , it was gone!

Merlin March 22 2020

Got a picture of the Merlin this morning!  This is section 51 in Mount Pleasant cemetery.  This bird does look similar to the Cooper's hawk but is smaller and the call as well as the tail are different.

Cooper's Hawk March 22 2020

Mom sitting on a tree branch close to her nest.

Red-tailed Hawk March 22 2020

Mom sitting face forward on a branch close to her nest. 

Mom's back in the wind.

Merlin

This morning "the birders" informed me that they saw a pair of Merlins in the southeast corner of the east side of Mount Pleasant cemetery.  This afternoon I saw the birds, although I did not know what I was looking at until I came home and identified them using Cornell University website (link below).  Compared to the Cooper's hawk, the Merlin's are smaller, have a different call and their wings have a v shape.  I did not take a picture today but I will!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/overview

Red-tailed Hawk Nest Location

Bumped into some "birders" this morning who shared the new location of the red-tailed hawks nest.  The picture below is of the fir tree that holds the nest.  It can be found on the east side of Mount Pleasant cemetery.  It is section 14.  Enter the east gate from Mount Pleasant Road, turn right at the first road, continue along the road until just before the curve at the end and you will see the tree on your right.

The tombstone in front of the tree reads Lasher.

Can you see the nest in the fir tree in the picture below?

Cooper's Hawk March 15 2020

Found Mr. & Mrs. Cooper's nest location today!  I heard the call of a Cooper's hawk.  Stopped running.  Mrs. Cooper flew to a tree branch close to me and then flew to the ground.  She picked up a twig and flew to another tree.  I followed her to that other tree.  I watched for some time while she collected more twigs, bringing them back to the nest.  The picture below shows that the nest is taking shape.  This nest is on the east side of Mount Pleasant cemetery on the long road heading toward "the circle" (section 29).  The tombstone at the base of the tree reads "Arnold".

Cooper's Hawk March 7 2020

This is Mrs Cooper.  The top picture shows her chest which is white/beige with small red/brown markings.  The bottom picture shows her back and tail which are dark grey.  Note that her tail is straight and narrow with white horizontal strips.  She is sitting on a tree on the east side of Mount Pleasant Cemetery.  Last year her nest was in a tree close to this one.  Mr Cooper was present but refused to be photographed!

Street Art: Flowers

This artwork is at Mount Pleasant Road and Merton Street.  The artist is Chris Perez.

Coyote Tracks

This photo is of a coyote paw print in the snow.  It was found in Mount Pleasant cemetery January 2020.

This photo taken March 2020 shows a coyote track .  We can see where all four feet are.  Each hole represents two feet as coyotes step in their own track.  In this picture the coyote is moving left to right.  We can tell which direction the coyote is moving in a couple of ways.  First, the snow spray indicates a forward direction.  That is, the foot sinks into the snow and pushes snow up, in front, into a pile.  Second, there is heal drag as the back of the paw goes into the hole.  Lastly, the deepest part of the track reflects the front of the paw.

Leafless Trees 2.0

This picture reflects the same group of trees as posted on March 2 2020 but from a different angle and there is sunshine!

Street Art: Eye

This art can be found on Kensington Avenue.  I was not able to find the name of the artist.  Do you know who painted this eye?

Cooper's Hawk

Heard a hawk call, and found this hawk flying low to the ground in and out of a bush.  It is incredible how their wings are able to manage the thick bush.  It didn't surprise me, however, as I have seen a Cooper's hawk fly rapidly through a dense forest in Algonquin Park, avoiding contact with tree branches.  This hawk did catch a meal in the bush and in this picture is standing on top of it!

Street Art: Butterfly

This artwork is at Grace and Harbord Streets.  The artist is Artchild.

Leafless Trees

This photo was taken on the east side of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, close to "the circle".  The trees here always look so strong, healthy and alive despite being leafless.

This photo was taken on the west side of the cemetery, close to the Massey grave. Again, leafless and yet so alive.  Mom coyote was sitting, upright, under a tree close by.  The only way I can tell that it is her is by how big she is.  None of the other coyotes look anywhere near that big when sitting upright.  And, she appears to just get bigger, and bigger!  I am hopeful that she will let me see her babies this spring like she did last year.