Yesterday while inspecting the West Side planting area I saw a couple of rabbits scuttle into the thicket. They must have heard something besides myself because I had been standing still at the time. Moments later another rabbit bounded past at a full gallop through the trees into the thicket. Hot on his tail there was a crash and a crack and a big red dog jumped out of the forest. He was suprised to see me as he had evidently been focused on rabbits. His master called and he bounded back into the wood having evidently forgotten about the rabbits. The dog got me thinking about the predators on the berm. Obviously the dog was a predator although he might not be too successful with rabbits. What other predators were there?
In the insect world there were loads of unidentified spiders crawling through the grass. I had also seen many 12 spotted lady bugs and one spiny soldier bug but what potential large wild predators were there? I have seen scat of a medium sized carnivores but haven't actually seen anything. It would be very exciting to see a coyote, fox, weasel, or shrew as there is evidently a plentiful supply of meadow voles around. I have no doubt that there are red tailed hawks that visit the area but I haven't actually seen them.
After inspecting how the trees are doing (everything is leafing out quickly now) I continued on to Ben Franklin park to see if the Trilliums and Dog Tooth Violets were out yet(they were). Along the way I noticed the evidence that some predator had caught a bird. By the amount of feathers and the size of feathers it was quite a large bird, perhaps a sea gull or a pidgeon. Further on, as I entered the woods I found some more evidence of a successful predator. A squirrel tail was lying on the path, either someone has a full stomach or there is a very sorry looking squirrel running around in Ben Franklin Wood.
In bloom:
dandelion
common speedwell
shepherd's purse (under oak)
yellow rocket
violet
garlic mustard
forget me not
elderberry (north corner 1995 planting)
cherry ( escapee by north corner)
crabapples (just about to start)
daffodil (escapee by north fence)
Showing posts with label ben franklin park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ben franklin park. Show all posts
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Neighbourhood
The berm area was created as part of the construction of the West Hunt Club road in 1994. It had been part of the experimental farm. The farm remains on the south side of the road, and is about 4000 acres of fields, farm buildings and small woodlots. It is part of the area protected by the greenbelt from development. It is quite intensively farmed but there are deer on the farm and coyotes have been spotted.
A sound barrier earth berm along the north side of the road separates Manordale subdivision from the road. Manordale was developed in the early 60s with the typical wide suburban lots of the time. The low density allows for plenty of room for trees and wildlife, with your typical suburban residents: squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, house sparrows, grackles, robins, starlings, crows etc. all present.
The earth berm is a continuous feature, about a mile long between Ben Franklin Park in the west and Woodroffe road in the east. Our area of interest is a 3 acre triangular area half way along the berm made by a bend in the road around the end of Kimdale Street. This bend also allows the road to switch from the north side of the hydro easement to the south side of the hydro easement. To the east of Kimdale street the hydro easement is on the north side of the earth berm and is a field that is cut about once a year. There is a bike path through the field and this area is more visited by the occasional dog walker than to the west of Kimdale.
Along the top of the earth berm a narrow band of trees about 15m wide was planted in 1994-1995. In the Triangle the berm has a gentle south facing slope and steep north and east sides. At the west end of the triangle the treed area widens to about 30m creating a small 1/3 of an acre thicket of young trees. West of the thicket there is a path kept clear by a mower over the berm and then the band of trees continues all the way to Ben Franklin Park where it connects to a small 8 acre woodlot of mature pine beech and maple trees.
Ben Franklin Wood is divided by a bike path into a west side and an east side. The east side, close to Manordale, is a stand of fine tall pine trees between which people can easily walk. It is an area where kids play and teenagers occasionaly hang out. The west side is little disturbed and is a refuge for any animals or plants that might not like to be disturbed.
A sound barrier earth berm along the north side of the road separates Manordale subdivision from the road. Manordale was developed in the early 60s with the typical wide suburban lots of the time. The low density allows for plenty of room for trees and wildlife, with your typical suburban residents: squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, house sparrows, grackles, robins, starlings, crows etc. all present.
The earth berm is a continuous feature, about a mile long between Ben Franklin Park in the west and Woodroffe road in the east. Our area of interest is a 3 acre triangular area half way along the berm made by a bend in the road around the end of Kimdale Street. This bend also allows the road to switch from the north side of the hydro easement to the south side of the hydro easement. To the east of Kimdale street the hydro easement is on the north side of the earth berm and is a field that is cut about once a year. There is a bike path through the field and this area is more visited by the occasional dog walker than to the west of Kimdale.
Along the top of the earth berm a narrow band of trees about 15m wide was planted in 1994-1995. In the Triangle the berm has a gentle south facing slope and steep north and east sides. At the west end of the triangle the treed area widens to about 30m creating a small 1/3 of an acre thicket of young trees. West of the thicket there is a path kept clear by a mower over the berm and then the band of trees continues all the way to Ben Franklin Park where it connects to a small 8 acre woodlot of mature pine beech and maple trees.
Ben Franklin Wood is divided by a bike path into a west side and an east side. The east side, close to Manordale, is a stand of fine tall pine trees between which people can easily walk. It is an area where kids play and teenagers occasionaly hang out. The west side is little disturbed and is a refuge for any animals or plants that might not like to be disturbed.
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