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January 10, 2012, at 2:50 pm
You’ll remember from our last post, we discussed how many birds species are difficult to spot due to their cryptic colouration and ability to remain motionless. Owls in particular fit into this category. As a group, owls are probably the most sought after birds, not only in the Arboretum, but anywhere, for birdwatchers, photographers and the like. They are spectacular birds, mysterious, and always a treat to find. Finding them however is never easy. Often it is a matter of being “in the right place at the right time” but if you know what you are looking for, “owling” can be a very challenging, yet rewarding experience. It all starts with searching the right habitats. Most of our owls prefer a particular habitat…Northern Saw-Whets like the cover of dense coniferous trees, Eastern Screech-Owls like to be concealed in the cavities of deciduous trees and Snowy owls like the flat, open country of agricultural fields. Of course, knowing these facts does not always produce the owls, to do that you must be prepared to do lots of searching and waiting patiently.
Sometimes though, finding a magnificent owl can be as simple as listening to the chickadees. Chickadees?… Yes! Chickadees and other small birds such as Nuthatches are usually on the menu for owls, and I’m sure that they aren’t pleased to be… Because owls present a threat to these birds, they and many other species have adopted a method for reducing their chances of being captured and consumed by raptors. The method involves forming a large group, gathering in an area where the owl is hiding, and make as much noise as they can! This behavior is known as “mobbing”. Mobbing a would-be predator removes the element of surprise, making it very difficult for the raptor to capture any of the birds in the area. Excessive mobbing can actually drive the predatory bird away from an area and thus remove the potential threat. Many birds use mobbing in the spring as a way of protecting their nests and to keep unwanted visitors at a comfortable distance. Often during a mob, the birds tend to change their typical voice; chickadees for example will add more Dee Dee Dee notes to their song and often have a raspier voice than normal. Some birds have taken mobbing to a whole new level; species such as the American Crow, Blue Jay and Red-Winged Blackbird even resort to physical contact. It is not uncommon to see these birds engaging with a hawk or owl to the point where they will actually nip at their feathers with their beaks. This behavior is commonly seen with hawks in flight. A group of crows will follow the hawk making a tremendous amount of noise and will actually peck at the back of the hawk as it makes a hasty retreat.
Alain Magnan a new member here at the Arboretum, as well as an avid naturalist and photographer witnessed just such an event last week involving crows and a Great Horned Owl. While out searching for some interesting birds to photograph, he was drawn to the call of several crows. Following the sound, he was lead to a stand of spruces along the Black trail where he then discovered a beautiful Great Horned Owl. With his camera at the ready he was able to snap this wonderful shot. Thank you very much for your photo Alain.
 A Great Horned Owl searches for shelter while it is mobbed by several crows (Photo: Alain Magnan) T’is the season for some great birdwatching, so keep your eyes and ears on alert the next time you are out at the Arboretum.
Have fun out there!
January 4, 2012, at 2:57 pm
Even though the leaves are gone, wildlife observation in the canopy can still be a challenge. The birds and mammals which live here have done so for a very long time and have found ways of camouflaging themselves, and some, despite having some very vibrant colours or patterns, still find the way to elude even the most patient observer. This cryptic behaviour is way that these animals remain unseen by predators (although predators have come up with ways to exploit this still…a real life arms-race).
Today while taking a stroll down by the Conservation Centre to check out the feeders, I encountered many different bird species. Many fruit-eating species such as Cedar Waxwings, American Robins and European Starlings were rustling about. Purple Finches, Juncos, Chickadees, Cardinals and Mourning Doves rounded out the party of avian critters hanging around the feeders and trees which surround the building. It was only as I got closer to them that I realized how numerous they truly were. Because many of these individual birds see people regularly, they are not as timid as their more “wild” counterparts. This means that you can often get quite close without flushing them (flushing refers to the act of scaring birds from a perch). While simply scanning the branches of the trees, my initial hunch of about 20 American Robins turned into close to 80 birds. Moments later a large group Robins descended to the edge of the forest where they began busily searching through exposed leaves. These birds were sitting in a tree right above my head and I had not seen them until they flew. The total count is now over 100 American Robins for the day.
Birds such as the Mourning Dove (given the name MOURNING dove because their call sounds reminiscent of weeping) seem to simply materialize out of thin air. They are a medium sized bird, not a tiny chickadee by any means, but their motionless roosting and bland colouration allow them to often slip by without detection, even to the observant eyes of a birder. Often times mourning doves remain motionless in the trees until you get too close then they explode in a flash producing an ominous bellowing whistle as they fly as far as they can. Even after the intial flush, some will often remain in the tree from which the other fled, so be prepared to get tiny scare twice.
 A Mounring Dove remains motionless in the tree top, trying to avoid detection (photo: Chris Cloutier) If you are interested in observing these and many other species, please Join myself and Richard Gregson for an introductory bird walk and lecture on Saturday January 7th. The presentation begins at 9:00am and the whole workshop will conclude at about 12:00. The main topics to be covered are winter adaptations of birds, as well as where to see them and how to attract birds to the home. Richard will be discussing the finer points of bird photography and equipment. After the lecture, we will head out on a short walk to visit some of the winter bird hot spots.
If you are interested in this of any other workshops, please call the main office to make a reservation at 514-398-7811
December 23, 2011, at 3:03 pm
It has finally begun to look like the winter we know and love. From all of us here at the Morgan Arboretum, thank you very much for your support this year, and we hope to see you early in the new year!
 Beautiful white snow covers the landscape (photo: Chris Cloutier)
All the best to you and yours!
p.s. Note that the Arboretum is closed on the following days: (December 25th, 2011 and January 1st, 2012)
November 29, 2011, at 3:24 pm
With winter just around the bend, and the leaves a distant memory, some of natures hidden gems are now revealed. Looking up in the trees these days will often yield some fascinating surprises. Nests; big and small, high and low, neat and unkept. Many animals were actively busy during the spring, summer and fall preparing these retreats for different uses at different times of year.
Most birds will use their nests only for the spring and summer. Often they leave the nest after their young have fledged. Several species will return to use the same nest year after year if it’s condition is still favorable for raising young. Bird nests are as unique as the birds themselves. Among a certain group of birds, the nests may look similar, but the complexity of some nests is quite astounishing. Species like swallows and swifts use saliva, mud and sticks to fashion shallow cups which they will adhere to the insides of barns, hollow trees, chimeneys, etc. The typical nests that msot of us are familair with are often made with sticks. The materials used can vary quite a bit, and the way they are fashioned together can also be very distinct. The size of the nest varies from species to species. The nest of a hummingbird can barely hold something as large as a ping-pong ball, whereas the large platform nest of a bald eagle can easily support the weight of an average man.
 Bird nest revealed (photo: Chris Cloutier) Squirrel nests which superficially resemble large bird nests are often constructed out of leaves into the shape of a large ball. Squirrels use these treetop shelters all year round. They don’t hibernate, but it allows them a place to escape the cold on really chilly days, or to store food out of the reach of other animals.
Another large nest that you will most likely encounter belongs to a very different animal. The large papery nests are eaily seen in young forests, particulalry areas such as Pullin’s Pasture. These amazingly constructed nests are made by Paper Wasps.
 Nest of Bald-Faced Hornets (photo: Chris Cloutier) Most of the large nests (bigger than basketballs) are made by a species known as the Bald-Faced Hornet. These large members of the paper wasp family may take several years to complete these large nests. The papery appearance and texture is due to the way in which these social insects create the nests. Female workers collect building materials in the form of wood. Using their large and powerful jaws, the wasps chew tiny strips of wood off of any wooden material thet can find, whether it be a dead tree, a swing set, or a picnic table. The wood is then chewed into a pulp and mixed with saliva. This buggy form of “papier mache” then hardens to give a waterproof and papery texture to the nest.
Have fun out there, and remember to keep looking up!
CC
September 19, 2011, at 12:56 pm
For someone who loves Dragonflies as much as I do, fall can be make-or-break. Some years the abundance and diversity is great,and in other years things are more quiet. Many of you who venture out on the hotter days of late will notice an abundance of large dragonflies, colourful aerial acrobats wearing vibrant greens and blues. This year was kind of slow for dragonflies at the Arboretum, I found many of the same old species, and only a couple of never-before-seen (at the Arboretum) varieties.
One in particular, which is not only new for the Arboretum list, but also my own personal life list is the “Black Saddlebags”. After searching for neat insects all afternoon, I was just about to head home when I stumbled across this beautiful insect. This species is easily identified by the large dark patces on the hindwings, an obvious feature in flight or when the insect is perched. This species is not found in this area every year. It is more of a vagrant…a species which can sometimes arrive with unsettled winds or in some cases, tropical storms or hurricanes. It is much more common in the area of Southern Ontario and in the United States. For interest’s sake here is a photo of the 41st species of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) found in the Arboretum to date
 The Black Saddlebags, an unexpected rarity for this area (photo: Chris Cloutier) Have fun out there!
CC
September 6, 2011, at 11:14 am
Saturday September 10th and Sunday September 11th are two days to mark down on your calendars. The Morgan Arboretum is hosting two educational workshops, one on each day, and both should be very interesting indeed.
On Saturday the 10th, John Watson, our Forest Operations Manager is hosting a FREE workshop on how to prepare your garden and your trees for the onset of winter. John has many years of experience doing this and has offered to share his knowledge with all who attend. The workshop runs from 9:00-13:00. Please bring along your questions.
Although this activity is free, pre-registration is still required, so please give us a call at the gatehouse to sign up today! 514-398-7811
Sunday September 11th is a day to remember. This will mark the 2nd time that the Arboretum has hosted it’s “Monarch Melee” This educational activity is focused on one of North America’s most iconic wildlife symbols, the Monarch Butterfly. Chris Cloutier has prepared a wonderful event for this day, beginning with a detailed presentation on Monarch Butterfly behaviour, life history and migratory patterns. This workshop is unique in the sense that it allows visitors to get up close and personal with the monarchs themselves. One of the activities involved is “monarch tagging” which involves placing a numbered sticker on the butterfly’s wing before setting it free to continue about it’s migration. These numbered stickers are sought out in Mexico where the butterfly will overwinter, providing information to researchers about where the Monarchs came from, how long it took them to reach Mexico from here, and where they may have stopped over en route. This workshop is great for young children and adults alike. The activity begins at 9:00 and runs until noon.
There is a small fee associated with this workshop and pre-registrations is required, so please contact the gatehouse if you are interested. 514-398-7811
August 26, 2011, at 1:29 pm
This time of year is the time to enjoy an often overlooked group of organisms here at the Arboretum; Mushrooms. For most of the year mushrooms remain invisible to us. They lie beneath the soil in a form most unfamiliar to us. But what are mushrooms exactly???
Mushrooms actually begin thier lives as spores, microscopic embryos produced and deposited by the fruiting bodies that we know as “mushrooms”. In fact this part of their life is often quite brief. Mushrooms are only visible once the organism (often refered to as a fungus or fungi for plural) is ready to produce these spores which will with a little luck, land in an appropriate location to which a new fungus can grow. Most of their lives are spent as what are commonly refered to as Hyphae…or to put it simply, little root-like hairs which grow in large expanses amongst the roots of trees and the surrounding soil. These hypahe are often associated with tree roots because this is where many of them attach to obtain nutrience. Other still, will attach themselves to rotten wood in order to feed and break down the wood into its component parts. Because of these, and many other roles, fungus are incredibly important to terrestrial ecology, filling many niches which other organisms such as plants or animals simply could not fill.
In late August we received a report from Kim Scharley who reported seeing a very large mushroom present in the Arboretum. After seeing some of her pictures, I decided it was time to have a look for myself and to bring a ruler with me. The species she discovered is what is known as a “Puffball”. These large round mushrooms are a common variety just about anywhere. They are often better known for their ability to “PUFF” when touched. The tissues surrounding these mushrooms is very soft and on the inside lie millions of tiny spores ready to be released into the air. When touched, the spores are forced out through an opening at the top which creates a cloud of brown spores…pretty cool!
 Puffball mushroom measuring 20 cm tall and nearly 22 cm wide! This particular Puffball was huge, one of the biggest I have ever seen, it measured rougly 20cm tall and nearly 22cm across…very impressive indeed!
Thank you to Kim for stopping by the gatehouse to show us your find. If you or someone you know has found something really neat in the Arboretum, why not share it with us. We love to hear about people’s observations, receive pictures, or see new additions added to our observation chart in the Conservation Centre.
Have fun out there!
CC
August 18, 2011, at 10:23 am
Over the summer, several new projects began and one that has begun to receive immediate recognition is the trail signage program. With the help of a very determined summer crew, the Arboretum was able to develop, measure and install a new trail marking system which should prove to make all of the 25km of trails more recognizable and user-friendly than ever before. Every trail, from the extensive ski-only Blue trail to the tiny yet ecologically diverse Green trail, all have recieved new arrow markers and distance markers. The distance system will allow users to know how far they have travelled ad well as how how far they have left before reaching the parking lots.
 New trail signs and distance markers
Our special thanks to Anne Murphy, Tariman and Jamie for their tireless efforts this summer in making this project run smoothly. The new signs are a very welcome addition to the Arboretum layout, and will be greatly appreciated by all who use our beautiful forested reserve!
 Some of our field crew members (from left to right; Tariman, Jamie, Anne) In addition to this, the Arboretum would like to congradulate our summer maintenance crew on a fantastic job this summer. Hayden, Matt, and Oliver did a wonderful job keeping this area looking great and running smoothly, thanks!
Have fun out there,
CC
July 19, 2011, at 9:31 am
Hot and humid, a common feeling around the Greater Montreal Area recently. Beating the heat isn’t always easy, but a great way to do so is to venture out into the cool shade of the forest. On several walks lately, I have noticed the cooling effect of the forest as the leaves of the trees transpire under the intense sun above. It makes for a welcome relief from the warm temperatures.
 The shade of the Hardwoods is a welcome relief from the heat (photo: Chris Cloutier) The added bonus about venturing into the woods at this time of year is that the mosquitoes which seemed very abundant in early June are a thing of the past. Here at the Arboretum, we have noticed a decline in mosquito numbers lately which makes the woods very welcoming for all. Not only is it comfortable for walking, but activities like bird watching, photography, and picnics are also great at this time of year because the weather is great and the light is just right to view that stunning bird or snap that wonderful shot.
Have fun out there!
CC
May 24, 2011, at 2:55 pm
On Saturday May 21st, the rain cleared for only a day but allowed for a beautiful sunny day and 15 eager birders to join Chris Cloutier and Richard Gregson for a fabulous morning of bird watching. The day started off with two Turkey Vultures circling over the CC parking lot during the “good morning” welcome…that certainly made it a good morning! Walking down the hill at Dale Field toward the Blossom Corner we were treated to the bellowing call of Ovenbirds and a great performance by the Red-Eyed Vireos.
 Enthusiastic birding group makes their way through Dale Field (photo: Richard Gregson)
In Blossom Corner we were greeted by a male Cardinal, singing away his beautiful song. We stopped by Bobolink field and guess what species we found? Bobolinks, that right! We had two males calling their robotic melody and then a third male joined the fun. Several females were watching from the surrouding vegetation as the males settled their differences in the grass below. Just as we were turning away to visit another bird hot spot, a Great Blue Heron and a pair of mallards decided to make a brief appearance overhead…making up 100% of the waterbird species we would see that day!
 A male Bobolink sings from his grass perch (photo: Richard Gregson) Heading up the little hill toward the Chalet Pruche we heard the sharp chips of an Eastern Kingbird perched in the birches (most likely hunting the freshly emerged damselflies which also call the field their home) Seeing as this is usually an excellent bird hotspot, we decided to stay a while longer…good idea! within a few short moments we all got to hear the raspy call of a Northern Parula, a beautiful warbler. We were then treated to arguably the best treat of the day… a male Indigo Bunting decided to pose for all of us on a clear branch overhanging the clearing, in great light too! After following the birch trail and picking up several more species we made our way to the field located near Maple Corner. This area was alive with grassland species like Common Yellowthroats, Song Sparrows, and Red-Winged Blackbirds. Using the spotting scopes really gave visitors a chance to see these handsome birds up close and also provided the opportunity for us to discuss equipment for viewing and photography. Once reaching Maple Corner we had to begin our trek back to the parking lot at the Conservation Centre. This walk leads us through some old growth Sugar Maple and Oak forests. This proved to be the best place to hear Black-Throated Blue Warblers and more Vireos. As we approached the quarry, the iconic call of an Eastern Phoebe was easily heard through the trees. While cutting through Blossom Corner for the second time we were treated to a small flock of Cedar Waxwings which passed right overhead.
 A male Indigo Bunting, possibly one of our most handsome birds, sits out in the open for everyone to see! (photo: Richard Gregson) Heading up the Orange trail to the CC we heard many more ovenbirds and marveled at how such a tiny bird could produce such a big sound. As we approached, we got to hear a Great-Crested Flycatcher singing from some high branches. We ended the walk back at the parking area, and finished off the day with views of an Eastern Bluebird and some Red-Shouldered Hawks flying overhead. In all we ended up with 40 species, not bad for a short walk-and-talk!
I would like to thank everyone who participated on the walk, thank you for making all of this possible, and extremely enjoyable! As well, a special thanks to Claude Cloutier for bringing his spotting scope and keen eyes. Many thanks to Richard Gregson for sharing his expertise and excellent photographs.
Thanks for reading!
CC
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Arbo-Nature A web journal of the wildlife and plants you can see in the Morgan Arboretum - you can report your observations to the office for inclusion here, photographs are always welcome.
Un journal Internet de la faune et les plantes que vous pouvez voir à l'Arboretum Morgan - vous pouvez signaler vos observations au bureau, les photos sont toujours les bienvenus.
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