Tuesday Rambles with David, Riverside Park, Cambridge, ON

 Tuesday 10 November 2020

     Each one of our regular "gang of eight" turned out for a pleasant visit to Riverside Park in Cambridge, a spot usually guaranteed to please.

     I don't know whether we have become more adept than usual at spotting the nests of paper wasps, but another one attracted our attention. I believe this to be the construction of Aerial Yellowjacket (Dolichovespula arenaria). We would be a little more circumspect about getting close to it were it still occupied!

     There is a trail that leads off from the parking area where we have had success in the past locating Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) but all we found today was a carpet of autumn leaves.

     Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) was very common and it was rarely that we were out of earshot, or indeed out of sight, of this beautiful bird.

     It is a feature of any southern Ontario woodland, delighting all who come across it.

     Whenever birders from overseas muse about visiting this part of North America, the two species that fuel their imagination most seem to be Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Blue Jay.

     On most days, I could serve up these two birds right in my backyard! 

     They are quite confiding around humans and are particularly attracted to peanuts in the shell, and with a little patience can be coaxed into taking them from outstretched fingers.

     At Riverside Park they do not hesitate for a moment to claim their share of seed scattered along the rail of the boardwalk.

     If I were to see them every day; (in fact most days I do), their beauty and their jaunty demeanour would never lose its appeal.

     I have read several accounts that House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is declining throughout Europe, in some areas drastically. While some population dips have been recorded in Ontario, (Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001-2005) the sink is nowhere as severe as in other parts of the world.

     This pugnacious, intelligent, introduced species has quickly learned that Riverside Park is a reliable source of food, both natural and provided by humans, and there is a substantial resident population.

House Sparrow - Female

      Current sentiments view House Sparrows as detestable little birds, wreaking havoc on some native species, and there is a good deal of truth to that, but I find that they have a charm all their own. 

     It should not be overlooked in our pejorative views of this species that they did not ask to come here. We introduced them deliberately and immediately set about detesting them and attempting to eradicate them as soon as they became successful. Such is the pernicious nature of Homo sapiens, the arch villain of all.

House Sparrow - male with Blue Jay for size comparison

      In Riverside Park let us cherish and enjoy them and use them to illustrate to children the wonder of nature.

     They are ubiquitous and easy to study. And youngsters react joyfully to these cocky little characters.

     Perhaps I should count myself a child, for I too enjoy their antics.

     They are here to stay, so let's all embrace them as part of our avifauna, and enjoy them along with every other species.

     Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) has no such image problem and is much loved by everyone.

     This is equally true for Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).

     White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) would round out the roster of three much-loved woodland species.

     Many years ago Riverside Park was home to a robust population of American Beaver (Castor canadensis) and while they are long gone, evidence of their occupancy is all around. The land is slowly  regenerating but many snags remain, clear evidence of trees drowned in beaver ponds.

     A snag provides an opportune perch for a male House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus).

     We walked to the bridge over the Grand River, but other than a few Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) there was little to see.

     A Raccoon (Procyon lotor) had walked along the rail and its tracks were clearly visible.

     The nest of a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) swayed in the breeze, its occupants long gone to warmer climes - but they will return again next year as they always have.

      Several American Robins (Turdus migratorius) fed on berries; probably part of the cohort that now remains with us all winter.

     Carol also spotted our first Common Redpolls (Acanthis flammea) of the season, but they declined to linger for a photograph.

     When I hear or read the news of Covid-related lockdowns throughout the world, it reinforces the fact that we have been fortunate in southern Ontario in enjoying some degree of freedom. As the number of cases surges each day, however, it is reasonable to expect that restrictions on our movement may be re-imposed at any moment. Whether we will be able to continue these Tuesday rambles is a matter of pure conjecture at present, but the prospects do not look good. Stay tuned for updates!