A walk in the Lower Don with the Toronto Field Naturalists

What a glorious morning for a spring walk in the Don Valley.

Starting out at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, there was sunshine — all the more dazzling for its recent rarity — and more than a nip in the air. It was just about freezing, and I was glad for my hat, gloves (a warmer pair than I first had in mind) and my down coat.

The assembled gang, all members of the Toronto Field Naturalists group and a few stray guests like me, were eager to get going with our guide, Margaret McRae, who led us down Pottery Rd.’s steep hill to the start of our walk in the Todmorden Mills wildflower sanctuary. There we tromped about in the mushy marshy bottom lands, (we were well advised prior to wear rubber boots) where we all had a good look at the eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) Margaret pointed out to us.

Once we knew what we were looking for, we saw it everywhere. There were so many skunk cabbages we had to be watchful putting each foot down, to ensure we didn’t step on any.

The skunk cabbage’s claim to fame, aside from its foul odour? It’s one of the very first plants to come up in spring.

Along the wildflower path someone in our group pointed out an old residence: the hanging nest of a baltimore oriole.

At  Todmorden Mills, our group saw  — and heard — cardinals, a downy woodpecker, a kingfisher, robin, red-winged blackbirds, and the highlight, a very low-soaring red-tailed hawk. Catnip for birders, indeed.

Passing under the Don Valley Parkway on Pottery Rd., our group hung a left to follow the river south. Along the route, we all got a spectacular look at a red-tailed hawk (at least I was so informed by birders much more knowledgeable than I) that was patiently waiting to catch lunch — a mouse? a vole? Or maybe one of the eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) we saw nearby?

Our group began to straggle a bit as we headed southward, the birders wanting to spend more time watching the hawk, and the walkers preferring to take a little faster pace.

But eventually we all arrived at Chester’s Marsh, where our guide, Margaret, pointed out some of the details of the Don Watershed for us.

There were areas where we saw some fast-flowing water, even some small rapids, thanks to all the rain we have had lately. It almost looked like there would be enough water in the river to paddle it.

Someone in our group asked if people could paddle down the river, and Margaret said, “Sure. At Paddle the Don. First Sunday in May for the past 19 years.”

(Paddle the Don is on May 1st this year. To see a brief slide show from my blog posting of the event last year, click here.

As we continued along our walk, we noticed another woodpecker working away on a tree on the bank of the river, but we were unable to discern if she was a downy or a hairy, as she (and it was a she) had her back to us. You really need to be able to see the bill of these birds to be able to say with any certainty which is which.

Our walk continued south until we came to a small steel bridge that got us over the river to the western bank, where we continued until the steep set of stairs that would get us over the highway and to the west side of Riverdale Park.

Some of us continued up to Riverdale Farm, where we got coffee and some delicious banana bread. (Good thing, too, as my stomach alarm for lunch had long since gone off. . . .) And some of our diminishing group turned around and went back the way we had come. The route times two, for them.

I asked if anyone knew how far we had walked, and one participant, who was wearing a pedometer, said it was 5 kilometres. Only seemed like half that, we were having such a good time.

A big thankyou to Margaret McRae, and all of the Toronto Field Naturalists, who let members of the public go on their walks gratis.

(After the great time I had today, though, I’m going to sign up for a year’s membership. Likely to be the best 40 bucks I ever spent!)

Hope to see you on the trail.

© BCP 2011