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Leslie Street Spit

Regarding Northern Light’s list:

There used to be a mink kind of thing living under the bridge on the Spit.

A Barred Owl used to frequent Algonquin Island a few years back.

I
6224F35E-5827-4628-A2E0-25DA224EB17B.jpeg
I oddly (?) find reptiles much more abundant in cottage country than here in the City. A Northern Water Snake was living at my families cottage dock this summer. The year before it was a five-lined skink, Ontario’s only native lizard. It’s a crazy thing with a blue tail.
 
TrickyRicky said:
Regarding Northern Light’s list:

There used to be a mink kind of thing living under the bridge on the Spit.

A Barred Owl used to frequent Algonquin Island a few years back.

IView attachment 279102 I oddly (?) find reptiles much more abundant in cottage country than here in the City. A Northern Water Snake was living at my families cottage dock this summer. The year before it was a five-lined skink, Ontario’s only native lizard. It’s a crazy thing with a blue tail.
Click to expand...
I saw a mink near the bridge on the Spit about 3 weeks ago and another nearer the entry pavilion last week. They are still around!
 
TrickyRicky said:
Regarding Northern Light’s list:

There used to be a mink kind of thing living under the bridge on the Spit.

A Barred Owl used to frequent Algonquin Island a few years back.

IView attachment 279102 I oddly (?) find reptiles much more abundant in cottage country than here in the City. A Northern Water Snake was living at my families cottage dock this summer. The year before it was a five-lined skink, Ontario’s only native lizard. It’s a crazy thing with a blue tail.
Click to expand...

Great pic.

Sensible spot for a cold-blooded creature to warm up, on metal in the sun.

Though this species is pretty harmless, not sure I'd want to meet him on my way up the ladder.

The markings can appear very close to a Massassauga; and w/your face mere inches from him, not the moment to spend time assessing its tail!

Of course, it would probably just drop into the water.....
 
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Razz said:
November 3, 2020

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Click to expand...

Spectacular skyline shots, as always! Some other wonderful ones as well.

I'm glad you adore the spit and document it so well.

Though could I nudge you to try out some of the City's other nature hotspots?

Your photography is great, and I'm sure they would benefit.

Rouge Park would top my list; but there are a few other noteworthy places in the City as well!
 
Northern Light said:
I'm not aware of a boom this year; I actually haven't seen one this year.

I live very close to one of the City's ravines; and I can hear a pack howl almost every night, usually around 11pm.

But I've only see them in Toronto twice that I recall (though they are quite common.)

Once, in an east end ravine; where I encountered one in the backwoods......with a dead racoon in its mouth.

It looked at me for a moment. I told it to move along and it did ...............

The other time was High Park. Right alongside Spring Creek Trail.

On the Spit, my one great sighting was a Bald Eagle.

Lots of waterfowl.

But don't think I've otherwise encountered anything bigger than a rabbit there.

Overall in Toronto, I've seen:

Cottontail Rabbit
Bald Eagle
Fox
Mink
Muskrat
Beaver
Turkey Vulture
Red Tail Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Snowy Owl (only once)
White-Tail Deer
Egret
Great Blue Harron
King Fisher
Wood Duck
Smooth Green Snake
Milk Snake

Lots of the usual suspects!

Things I have not seen in Toronto that I would love to see

River Otter (considered extirpated, but may be returning. I believe they are present in the East Don north of Sheppard.
Fox Snake
Northern Water Snake (not too close, looks like the Mississauga Rattler if you're not paying attention!)
A nesting Bald Eagle
Barred Owl

Lots more.

In the fullness of time, I think it would be nice if the north end of Rouge Park could support Bears again; though I suspect others would disagree.
I also think Badger would be nice to see; but they are a terribly ornery creature, LOL. Not everyone would welcome that.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the Badger was ever native to the Toronto area.

Many people think any big snake, particularly ones with markings which most do, is a Massassauga Rattlesnake, which are very rare even in their territory (which Toronto is not), probably because big snakes are not all that common here. They sometimes don't help their cause - the Milk Snake will often shake its tail even though it is not a rattlesnake, and the Eastern Hognose if threatened will often raise its head and flatten its neck like a Cobra. I came across one a few years ago and it is quite freaky.
 
Razz said:
Not to worry Northern Light. That tag is an illusion. You will see that clever moniker in many of Kotsy's photos. I can assure you that the pavilion has not been tagged (yet).
Click to expand...

Usually its clearer to me than that. I didn't make that out this time. Thanks for the heads up.
 
lenaitch said:
I'm not sure the Badger was ever native to the Toronto area.

Many people think any big snake, particularly ones with markings which most do, is a Massassauga Rattlesnake, which are very rare even in their territory (which Toronto is not), probably because big snakes are not all that common here. They sometimes don't help their cause - the Milk Snake will often shake its tail even though it is not a rattlesnake, and the Eastern Hognose if threatened will often raise its head and flatten its neck like a Cobra. I came across one a few years ago and it is quite freaky.
Click to expand...

The descriptions in the diary of Lady Simcoe have long led to an understanding that venomous snakes were common on the Dundas Road (Toronto to Dundas, ON)

The generally understood belief was these were Massassaugas (a very long time ago)

Timber Rattlesnakes were also historically native to Ontario, though probably not that far from the border.

Last one seen in Niagara gorge mid-20thC (1941)

ontarionature.org

Timber Rattlesnake | Reptiles & Amphibians in Ontario | Ontario Nature

Read the description of the Timber Rattlesnake, including the appearance, biology, habitat, threats, similar species, and endangered status.
ontarionature.org

This is a decent idea for the historic range of the Massassaugas

1604545432562.png


From here: https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/assets/images/emr/emr_range.jpg

It suggests the northern limit along Lake Ontario was likely Burlington (ish)

Back to Lady Simcoe's diary, from same:

September 24, 1793: I hear that they kill rattlesnakes every day yet not a single man has been bitten….

May 2, 1794: The Governor killed seven rattlesnakes with a small stick….

December 18, 1795: Mr. Jones, the surveyor, says seven hundred rattlesnakes were killed near Burlington Bay this summer. They live in caves, and in very dry weather go down to the lake to drink; they are sluggish, and, as they move in numbers at a time, probably would be easier destroyed…

This comes from: http://www.pinecone.on.ca/MAGAZINE/stories/WildlifeMrsSimcoesDiary.html

In reading that, there is little question they were Rattlers.

There is also very little question in my mind that they were not Timbers.

Timbers are larger and much more aggressive.

I would expect more death had there been large scale conflicts w/that snake.
 
lenaitch said:
I'm not sure the Badger was ever native to the Toronto area.

Many people think any big snake, particularly ones with markings which most do, is a Massassauga Rattlesnake, which are very rare even in their territory (which Toronto is not), probably because big snakes are not all that common here. They sometimes don't help their cause - the Milk Snake will often shake its tail even though it is not a rattlesnake, and the Eastern Hognose if threatened will often raise its head and flatten its neck like a Cobra. I came across one a few years ago and it is quite freaky.
Click to expand...

On the badger, difficult to say.

Even currently there is evidence of their presence in Short Hills Provincial Park, near St. Kitts.

That's close considering the removal of favourable habitat that has occurred over the last century ++

My guess would be that they were native to the lower escarpment and portions of the Moraine; though likely less present on other lands, but that's merely a guess.

American badger (Taxidea taxus): COSEWIC assessment and status report 2012 - Canada.ca

COSEWIC. 2012. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the American Badger Taxidea taxus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa.
www.canada.ca www.canada.ca
 
Razz said:
Not to worry Northern Light. That tag is an illusion. You will see that clever moniker in many of Kotsy's photos. I can assure you that the pavilion has not been tagged (yet).
Click to expand...

Fooled me as well. I used to undertake to look for his tags - like a Where's Waldo - but I pretty much gave up. He's too clever for my eyes.
 
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