chart

Part of the Detroit River Binational Program

By Ian Naisbitt

It has been 2 ½ years since volunteers participated in a Little River Cleanup Event. On Saturday, 9 April, the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and the Essex Region Conservation Authority invited Essex County Nature to join community volunteers to clean up a well-known section of Little River. The segment needing a “Spring Cleaning” flows adjacent to the Canadian Tire Store on Tecumseh Road East. The City of Windsor created Teedie Park along the riverbanks and adjacent open areas in this area. As well, the Ganatchio Trail has been extended from the river to the Forest Glade neighbourhood. Today’s cleanup involved both banks of Little River. This cleanup was part of the Detroit River Binational Cleanup Event.

In the past this portion of the river was notorious for shopping carts being discarded into the river to construct a “pedestrian crossing.” Not only did this hinder the flow of the current, but it also collected vegetation and other debris which effectively created a dam. Since 1996, this section of Little River has been cleaned up 15 times and removing shopping carts has become a frustrating routine. Fortunately, media coverage over those years has helped encourage a solution to this vexing problem. A new pedestrian bridge has been constructed! It connects stores on Tecumseh Road with the Forest Glade community. A brilliant solution to the shopping cart crossing that will no longer need to be constructed in the river.

A Tip of the Cap to the City of Windsor for erecting this bridge! Shopping cart problem solved.

The day’s forecast was foreboding. Even so, we just had to accept it and carry on.   
Environment Canada: Cloudy with a 40 % chance of rain showers or flurries. High 8 C. UV index 3 or moderate.
The Weather Channel: Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High near 5  C. Chance of snow 50 %. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 km/h which Sir Francis Beaufort classifies as a “moderate breeze.”

All volunteers were dressed appropriately for the weather Mother Nature served.

Thankfully, the sun came out and brightened up our spirits as the clouds drifted by. Volunteers worked from 10 a.m. to noon, cleaning up litter and other assorted windblown trash that accumulated over the winter. Our efforts are worthwhile since the amount of garbage collected (1884 pounds/ 855 kilograms) will benefit the health of the river ecosystem and the wildlife that use it. New items to add to our list of kinds of trash collected: a slow cooker and backpack.

Cleanup Partnership included:
City of Windsor
Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and Public Advisory Council
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario/ Windsor District
Essex County Nature and the Junior Egrets
Essex Region Conservation Authority
Little River Enhancement Group and the Dragonfly Elders
Wildlife Preservation Canada

Mute Swam Looking at their Reflection after Preening Feathers

By Howard Williams

For grandparenting reasons, Carole Donaldson and I moved to Windsor in October of last year and we have often been greeted by ‘Welcome to Windsor’.  We specifically settled close to Jackson Park, specifically for dog walking but imagine our delight when we experienced all the other aspects of that park: the many over-wintering birds followed by the spring-flowering trees and migrant birds (see photos from Jackson of Killdeer, Great Crested Flycatcher, Cooper’s Hawk and Cowbird.

When not busy in the garden which is rapidly becoming a haven for Carolinian species, we visit most of the Essex County Conservation areas as part of a naturalist circuit, making sure that we visit most about every two weeks or so to catch the rapid changes.  Each is a gem, very different in terms of their wildflowers, trees and birds.  Most of the conservation areas are densely wooded which makes birdsong all the more delightful in that it is not competing with the traffic and emergency vehicle noise that is so apparent in the city. The hawk photo above was taken of him standing guard for his much larger mate who was nest-sitting in early April.  

Amongst the early spring flowers we have seen Spice Bush, Mayapple, Wild lily of the Valley and Blue Phlox.

On a brief negative note but sticking with natural history, we are saddened to see so much litter in both the conservation areas and in the city parks.  For me it tells of a pervasive lack of pride in part of the community for which I blame poor parenting.  We try to keep humble by countering it with daily litter pickups in Jackson Park and I have seen Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club (ECFNC) members pick it up in the conservation areas too but know that the change to a less careless society has to start with the young.  Did you play your part?

As part of my contribution to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, I monitored the Cooper’s Hawk nest in Jackson Park, only to find it abandoned after a succession of cold and stormy days in April. We hope that the hawks have found more sheltered accommodation elsewhere in the area.  Please keep your eyes skinned in the south end of Victoria Avenue area.  

In Colchester our stay there in late April included access to an owl nesting box, containing a pair of Eastern Screech Owl.  

In Windsor, the many hollow concrete lamp standards in the city seem to be preferred nesting locations for European Starlings and House Sparrows, currently, many lamp standards are noisy with hungry chicks and the busy comings and goings of care-worn parents.

Hillman Marsh, like many of the conservation areas has been a joy for both birds and plants, As you can see from this photo, Blanding’s Turtle have been straining to see us during our visits there.

Late-May and early June will find me downtown at dusk looking at chimneys, trying to spot Chimney Swifts before I get picked up for vagrancy.  At the Windsor Market this month I managed to spot ten Chimney Swifts diving and swooping over the city streets. 

I first visited the St. Clair ESA (Environmentally Sensitive Area) a few days ago and found amongst the typical woodland wildflowers this Glaucous Honeysuckle climbing along the fence.

One reason for writing this piece is that I am pleased to report that the ECFNC has been our successful gateway into the community.  Those who regularly move from one province or country to another will recognise that to meet people you need one or more of the following: young children, socialised dogs, or a club to join and get involved.  We score two of these: a greyhound and an organisation that promotes our insatiable appetite for the natural wonders of this county.  

Thank you ECFNC.

By Karen Alexander

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most invasive terrestrial mammals worldwide. They are native to Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Spread of wild pigs has been primarily through human introduction; they are also expanding through natural dispersal. 

Wild pigs have a broad geographic range and can easily adapt and survive in new environments due to their high fecundity (large number of offspring produced), early sexual maturity, varied diet, long lifespans, and highly adaptive nature. They are one of the most damaging invasive species in the United States and are becoming an alarming concern for Canadian provinces, especially in the Prairies.  

Wild pigs were first introduced to Canada from Europe beginning in the 1980’s as exotic livestock for meat. Due to human introductions, wild pigs have been expanding globally with populations present on all continents except Antarctica. In Canada, wild pigs have spread throughout the country since the late 1980’s. 

The presence of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is an emerging issue for Ontario as wild pigs have already caused widespread problems in Canada’s prairie provinces and many American states.  The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Invading Species Awareness Program has launched a Wild Pig Surveillance Program (WPSP), an innovative citizen science tool that enables volunteers to deploy, bait, and monitor trail cameras with the goal of increasing the level of wild pig surveillance in Ontario.    

This new tool equips volunteers with the knowledge, equipment, and protocols required to detect wild pigs to better understand their current distribution in Ontario and inform potential management strategies.    

In 2021, the WPSP was implemented in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 49 and 50, as well as a small pilot project in Lanark County. In March, OFAH worked to recruit volunteers for the WPSP through a digital call to action on social media and an e-blast to OFAH members.  Interested volunteers completed a survey and watched a pre-recorded training webinar to enroll in the program.  Based on the survey responses, OFAH-owned trail cameras were provided to volunteers in the designated surveillance areas for a fixed period from March – August 2021. 

The early detection of any free-ranging pigs is vital to preventing the establishment of this invasive species.They are a threat to Ontario’s landscapes, negatively impacting the environment and affecting recreational, ecological, and economic values.   

If you think you’ve see a wild pig, take a photograph, mark your location, and contact the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or .  The Invasive Species Awareness Program is a partnership between the OFAH and the NDMNRF to address the increasing threats posed by invasive species in Ontario.

Learn more about wild pigs here: Wild Pigs – Invasive Species Centre