The Egret Article

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

By Karen Alexander

Native Phragmites is an important component of a healthy wetland ecosystem.  It grows amongst other macrophytes in marshes and unlike the invasive Phragmites, does not typically develop into dense monocultures or degrade habitat quality.  

Across the Great Lakes region, native Phragmites has disappeared from wetlands because of the more competitive invasive Phragmites and there is a concern that the native population is being removed from wetlands due to well-meaning control measures targeting invasive plants.  

Fortunately, variation does exist between the native and invasive Phragmites, but even the available diagnostic keys are not leading to clear determinations of native or invasive Phragmites. When confusion remains, a DNA analysis is needed.

In Ontario, an increasing number of land managers are admitting confusion when attempting to identify native or invasive Phragmites in the field. To protect native Phragmites and ensure efficient use of resources to control invasive Phragmites, the Green Shovels Collaborative is offering free access to a DNA Screening Service for the 2022-23 fiscal year.  

The DNA Screening method being used for the program is from D. Wendell et al. (2021).  This simple screen test can differentiate between native Phragmites and invasive Phragmites. The test will also detect hybridization. 

For more information and to enroll in the program, please visit: DNA Screening Program  – Green Shovels.