January 20, 2002
FORKS OF THE CREDIT PROVINCIAL PARK -
Large parking lot on the
2nd line west
Meeting report by Alexis Burnett
Photos by Walter Muma
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Our hike began from a large parking area for Forks of the
Credit Provincial Park. We started with 15 people and were joined by 2
others a little later. From here the trail led us between two small ponds
and over some rolling meadows. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of action
in terms of wildlife moving through this area to our knowledge, but many
tracks may have been erased from the snow. We did come across some beaver
sign and a lodge in one of the ponds as well as some small rodent and
squirrel activity up the trails a ways.
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Some of us gathered around an unknown bird's nest
and tried to come up with what kind of bird had made it. It was in
the middle of the meadow in an apple tree, made of mostly grasses
and no mud. Our best guess was a sparrow of some kind judging by
size and location.
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Just up the trail we came upon a
mystery tree? Growing on an old fence line, it seemed to belong to
the birch family judging by the bark and catkins. The seeds looked
like a birch as well as the small unopened catkins. Many of us
puzzled over this tree and I'm sure are trying to look it up right
now? Research done later by
Walter showed this to be most likely a cherry (black) birch.
However, the problem is that this tree has been officially reported
in Ontario in only one location: Port Dalhousie on lake Ontario,
about 100 miles away! So, what
are the characteristics of this tree that point towards it being a
cherry birch? |
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1. Twig has a strong
wintergreen odour and taste. Yellow birch has moderate wintergreen odour
and taste.
2. Very dark bark, almost black.
3. The wings that accompanied the seeds were very large. We didn't measure
them, but they were bigger than those that yellow birch has.
4. Location: yellow birch likes wet feet. This tree was situated on a dry
hillside in a field.Can anyone help us with this??? |
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| We also came across a huge old
ash tree that was hollowed out through the center and many people climbed
inside to have a closer look. Upon observation of the field in this area
it was noted that there were quite a few small ash trees beginning to
transform the old field with their growth.
Lots of goldenrod and milkweed stems were still standing
through the snow and we talked briefly about the use of the milkweed plant
for cordage and tinder. They are also very important plants that have a
close relationship with monarch butterflies. |
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From here we ventured onto
the Bruce trail and set out down through the hardwoods to the river
valley bottom below. The landscape changed dramatically from this
point on as we entered a more forested habitat. Here we found many
leatherwood shrubs growing in the under story of sugar maple, beech,
ash, elm and hemlock.
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| We knew that our chances of
finding tracks in the snow would increase, especially with the river
nearby. Soon we stumbled upon what we figured to be a coyote trail moving
up the trail and across the hill-side in a 'determined' fashion: a
straight and narrow trail leading across the landscape with a
purpose. |
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Just down the hill from
here we came across some amazing small rodent trails. Tiny little
tracks and a 'tunnel' like trail including a tail drag mark! It
was noted by Walter that the animal was walking as opposed to
running because of the 'waddle' or side to side movement of the
tail. This little guy traveled a long way through the snow,
occasionally going under the snow and leaving only a hole, only to
pop out again just a ways away. Really cool! |
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| As we neared the river we came
upon a set of deer tracks coming out of some cedar trees. They came over
to an apple tree where he/she nibbled a few buds and continued on back
into another small patch of cedars. |
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We took a short break at a nice spot by the river and
had some lunch. The water was moving quite fast here and looked very
beautiful with the hillside in the background and all the snow.
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Click on the small photo
to watch a movie of the Credit River rushing past. |
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(MPEG format, 371 KB) |
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After lunch the group ventured up river towards the
waterfalls and into the cedars. There were lots of tracks here and we
spread out quite a bit as some people ventured here and there looking at
the tracks while others moved on up ahead towards the falls. There were
lots of deer moving through this area as well as what we thought to be a
coyote trail or two. There had been lots of people and dogs down this
trail so it took some close examining to differentiate between the two.
Some of the highlights on this part of the trip included cottontail
tracks, scats and runs, grouse tracks, mouse trails, woodpecker holes,
porcupine hair and sign and chickadees singing overhead. |
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Mouse tracks. In the upper center of the photo the
tracks show where the mouse leapt off the small shrub into the snow. |
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We also came across some more small rodent trails
and holes where there was also a weasel too! We were not sure if it
was a short or long-tail weasel, but we inclined more towards the
tracks belonging to a short-tail. They bounded in an erratic 2-2
pattern with strides around 16-19 inches and a 2 inch trail width.
There was also a short stretch where it followed the rodent trail.
In one of the tracks Julie found a hair that probably belonged to
the weasel as well! This was a really cool find and I wish I would
of spent some more time here unraveling this mystery.
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The trail climbed up a steep embankment as
the river below ran through a deep ravine. We knew that we were approaching
the falls. There were some beautiful views of the ravine and waterfalls as
the river dropped several feet of elevation in this area. |
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| We stopped for a short while at the viewing platform as we
took in the splendid view. There were quite a few other hikers on the trail
here and our group became separated at this point. We hiked up the stairs to
the top of the hillside and headed back to the parking lot. Not long after
this we realized the whereabouts of everyone in the group and it felt a lot
better to be 'joined' once again. It is hard to stay together as everyone's
interest may vary, but it is important that we all know where each other are
at all times. Especially when some people do not know the area too well.
Just a friendly reminder. |
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Anyways, we traveled back to the cars from this point in
good time passing some big black cherry and sugar maple trees along an old
fence line. By this time we had looped back around to part of the trail that
we came in on and headed back down it towards the parking lot. |
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On this trail we stopped again at the big old hollowed out
ash tree as it works like a magnet, inviting you into its hollow center.
Someone spotted what looked to be a wasp-nest, but also looked like a
Baltimore oriole nest? I was not there to see it, but I suppose it was one
of the two. As we returned to the cars we all went our separate
ways as we ended the hike where we had begun. We are happy that everyone
came out on this day and wish to thank everyone that was there. It was good
to have some new-comers as well as people who have been with us before. We
look forward to seeing all your faces again soon.
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