Marie Curtis Park East Wildlife Species

[KP]

While driving to the variety store, I spotted 2 Northeastern Coyotes crossing Lakeshore Blvd. and going into Marie Curtis Park East.  On the way back from the variety store, I spotted a Common Raccoon just off the road in Marie Curtis Park East as well.

[Bird Brain]

KP ... did the coyotes appear to be healthy?

[KP]

Hi Jo-Anne.  The Northeastern Coyotes appeared to be healthy from what I saw.  However, I spotted the 2 Northeastern Coyotes in the dark with lights around the area giving me a fairly good view.  One Northeastern Coyote was following behind the other Northeastern Coyote.

[ravynne40]

The locals are talking about the coyotes and they have been seen north of the lakeshore bridge and the park itself, I have not seen them yet but it has been noted they have been seen as early as 6pm in the evening.
There is an abundance of Night Herons with juveniles and lots of cotton tail bunnies, there are also many deer in the area just to the north near the golf courses that join the Etobicoke Creek.
If i do see them I will definitely try to get photos and will post.

Irene

[KP]

Hi Irene.  I have been doing a lot of biking at Marie Curtis Park.  Marie Curtis Park is great to view Black Crowned Night Herons.  I have noticed Eastern Cottontail Rabbits are more common at Marie Curtis Park this year.  Eastern Cottontail Rabbit populations peak and then crash every so many years so this is probably the peak.

[Axeman]

I remember, as a kid, living at my parents' home in Port Credit, that the night herons would fly overhead around dusk with their characteristic squawk, heading out to the lake...I remember watching their numbers grow with the years and then suddenly....coinciding with the appearance of the cormorants in port credit, they just stopped....I'm glad to see them reappearing...

As for the coyotes...it cracks me up that I have never seen a coyote near my home (I'm in a rural area) and have seen many in Mississauga and Toronto...(I hear them around my home and see tracks and scat...just never see them.)

[KP]

Hi Axeman.  At Marie Curtis Park, I have never seen a Double Crested Cormorant which probably explains why the Black Crowned Night Heron is common.  I have seen and heard Northeastern Coyotes by my cottage in the Orillia Area.  However I have seen more Northeastern Coyotes here in Toronto too.  I have heard Northeastern Coyotes on 1 occassion here in Toronto.

[Axeman]

I used to hear them, in the early 90's near Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga I guess even then, it wasn't built up too much so that they could live in packs...I guess you can't hear them in the GTA b/c they can't live in the packs...

[ravynne40]

As I was walking through the arsenal lands I could hear some low howling, but I did not see anything, its just that I am aware they are there and always keep my eyes open
not sure how the new construction in the parks will affect the wild life in the park but any demolition digging construction and redesigning of environments always has an impact on wildlife no matter how small or large, from grasses to bugs to birds and our furry friends, they will all be affected in some way.
We were told that construction was to start this fall sometime...we shall see, they already have removed the bushes by the bridge that joins the Mississauga side to the Etobicoke side and have already marked and ribboned off some trees and bushes.

Irene

[KP]

Unfortunately, there will be natural areas cleared.  On the positive side, new forests have been created which is increasing the habitat for wildlife.  Also, many trees have been planted in the open.  More natural restoration projects will take place at Marie Curtis Park.  I noticed there have been shrubs cleared by the bridge and have noticed orange ribbon in other areas too.  A portion of a meadow that had a lot of Canada Thistles was cleared too.

[ravynne40]

Unfortunately, there will be natural areas cleared.  On the positive side, new forests have been created which is increasing the habitat for wildlife.  Also, many trees have been planted in the open.  More natural restoration projects will take place at Marie Curtis Park.  I noticed there have been shrubs cleared by the bridge and have noticed orange ribbon in other areas too.  A portion of a meadow that had a lot of Canada Thistles was cleared too.

Maybe you can answer this for me...when do they do this...when we are sleeping ..because I never see anyone in the park, even when I do have a day off I'm in the park most of the day walking around, and I have never seen city workers chopping, clearing or otherwise...very strange this is ..
maybe they have fairies?? LOL sorry..its almost as if they are doing it secretly and slowly..as if WE wouldn't notice?? LOL I knew they were going to be doing this for sometime, but they reassured me, and the neighbors that the wildlife in the park would be "minimally" disturbed..they even had biologists at this meeting in june.held in the park itself, everyone filled out forms and voiced their opinions. I keep checking the websites to see if there are any updates but i haven't seen any as of yet.

P.S. oh see..now i didn't see the thistles removed was this down by the lake? I know lots of milkweed plants were ripped up by the lake..I'm sure there were thistles there too.

[KP]

Hi Irene.  I have no clue when they clear this vegetation either because I am never in Marie Curtis Park at the time when they work.  Then when I decide to go biking, I see the vegetation recently cleared.  The portion of meadow that had been cleared is by Lake Ontario right off the Waterfront Trail.  Also, right by the meadow by Lake Ontario, there was 2 large red garbage bins right off the Waterfront Trail where they were cleaning up garbage and landfill that had been dumped there.  There is still some garbage and landfill remaining there, but the 2 large garbage bins have been taken away and I have not seen them in a while.

[ravynne40]

well I'm gonna keep my eyes open...and hope the change is for the betterment of the park here's to lookinig foreward to the future...cheers...(obviously to be continued when more changes occur LOL)