Author Archives: Roy Murray

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About Roy Murray

I live near Raymore Park and have been visiting the park since 1993 and began blogging about it since 2012.

Hidden worlds

You’ve got to admire the resourcefulness of some people. This mini BMX circuit is well hidden and is the illegal labour of love of some parent. I remember seeing a man during the March Break who appeared to be clearing up litter in a wooded area. I should have known that few people actually pick up litter in Raymore Park. Instead of tidying up, he was labouring with at least one of his kids to produce this.

The hidden track.

The hidden track.

Every one of the branches forming this raised track is nailed to the wood below so this has taken a lot of time (and nails).

It's a thing of beauty, bringing to mind a dinosaur skeleton.

It’s a thing of beauty in a primitive way, bringing to mind a dinosaur skeleton.

 

I’ve no idea how usable it is but it’s definitely an interesting structure to stumble across. You almost expect to see Robinson Crusoe coming through the woods.

There's an earth track between the yellow tapes.

There are dirt tracks between the yellow tapes.

The dirt tracks between the tapes will certainly form a channel during rain and will eventually erode the hillside. I suspect the course is a little too challenging as I’ve never seen anyone using it.

There’s no faulting the motivation of this parent. Unfortunately, he has scarred the ground and littered the park with a structure that could present a danger to humans and wildlife. While I assume that shrubs and trees weren’t chopped down for this, branches taken from the forest floor could well have been home to overwintering insects and small vertebrates. When this thing is abandoned and falls apart, the nails will be around for years.

It’s another example of someone feeling comfortable in creating a clearly illegal structure in Raymore Park and shows an astonishing lack of respect for public parkland.

 

It’s the canine cops…

Tag, you're it!

Dog tag please. Animal Services van by the Raymore Drive entrance to the park.

Today a lady from Animal Services was checking tags for a while. She walked from Raymore Park all the way along the path to Lions Park, checking tags along the way and extracting addresses from those unable to produce said tag.

According to the City Auditor, only about 30% of Toronto’s dogs are licensed. Actually, from what I have seen, the auditor’s estimate is quite high. Others put it closer to 10%. This is the first evidence I have seen of Animal Services in a long time. A few years ago they used to have quite a strong presence and an A.S. employee used to watch dog owners through binoculars, checking for by-law infringements. This was around the time that A.S. hired students to go knocking on doors and peering in windows, looking for evidence of dogs and cats. There was a bit of a public outcry against such draconian measures and Mayor Rob Ford mused that license fees should perhaps be abolished since they bring in very little money.

Apparently abolition must have been taken off the table – in addition to the ‘stick’ of fines for unlicensed dogs, A.S. is looking at the ‘carrot’ of discounts for doggy products and services if dog owners can prove their pet is licensed.

If they really want to enforce the tags, A.S. should enlist the help of vets throughout the city and allow them to issue tags – the vets would get a piece of the action and could offer a discount on some services. They could perhaps pay for or subsidize a pup’s tag on its first check-up. Once a dog is in the system, it’s likely to stay and the renewal fees would roll in for years.

Meanwhile, in the park, birds are frantically mating and nesting and taking advantage of the mild temperatures before the mini cold-snap that is expected this week.

Lots of activity by the river.

Lots of activity by the river.

Park pariahs

Yesterday I encountered two people in the park who, although well meaning, are a detriment to wildlife.

How long have we known that bread is bad for ducks and geese?

How long have we known that bread is bad for ducks and geese?

This old boy is one of a few who regularly feed Canada Geese and Mallards at this spot just above the weir. In fact, anytime you approach the water in this area, birds will swim over anticipating a free (but potentially harmful) meal.

Here’s pariah number two. She was skating along with her very active dog off leash, no doubt congratulating herself for exercising the unfortunate animal. As I approached with my dog, it was evident she had no leash and had to hold onto her dog’s choke chain in order to keep it close. All this without missing a stride!

I'm such a free spirit, I don't leash my dog.

Such a free spirit, she doesn’t even bother bringing a leash.

Once she passed us, the dog was released and went on its way, flushing wildlife in its path. I have never seen this young lady and her dog before and probably won’t see her again but it’s hard to understand how people can be so cavalier about the responsibility of animal ownership and the effect an uncontrolled dog has on wildlife in a park setting.

Park Clean Up

Aren't people wonderful!

Aren’t people wonderful! All within easy reach of garbage cans too. Cycle path at Scarlett just north of La Rose.

On Tuesday I emailed local Councillor Doug Ford about the huge amount of litter along the cycle path just north of Eglinton.  Yesterday a clean-up crew came to this end of the park and unfortunately they missed most of the litter since they didn’t bother reaching over the 4′ fence or walking into the wild area. I called the park supervisor today today and he sent them out again very quickly.  The original concern i.e. the litter on the cycle path remains unaddressed.
Here is the email:

Hi Doug,

Now that the snow has gone, I notice there is a huge amount of garbage along the cycle path from just above Eglinton to just north of La Rose. I try and pick up the odd pieces of trash but this is beyond my abilities. I enclose a photograph for illustration purposes. I was wondering if a crew could be sent out to take care of this…

We have had a long winter and the snow has only just cleared. Regardless, there must be a way to keep on top of litter throughout the winter months. God forbid that a city worker should occasionally have to walk along the trail.

Some councillors organize community clean-up days where people in a neighbourhood spend a couple of hours hauling trash from local parks. I think this is passing the buck and neighbourhoods that aren’t so cohesive or those without strong community involvement end up being compromised even further.

Dreamy water.

Dreamy water

Dreamy water

I continue to be fascinated by the sheen of the water as it slides over the weir and have stylized this image with the help of a Topaz filter or two.

The water is higher today as a result of melting snow further north.

Students from a nearby school help give some scale to the weir.

Students from a nearby school help give some scale to the weir.

There was a coyote making its way upstream, probably getting out of the way of the students below the weir who were well, being kids. Snow has melted from all but the shadiest parts of the park and spring is off to a slow but long awaited start.

Winter drags on.

More snow today on the edge of a major winter storm that luckily just missed us. Another day of winter is disappointing  to humans but wildlife is really feeling the pinch. There were redwing blackbirds in the park a few days ago but there’s no trace of them now. Nothing has budged from its winter state so spring is still some time away. Because of thick cloud cover, the more powerful March sunshine is neutralized.

On days like these, I usually have the park to myself.

A Grey Jay(?) looks for food.

A Grey Jay looks for food.

Fresh snow covers the ground and the temperature barely cracked 0°C today.

Looking north along the path by the weir.

Looking north to the path by the weir.

At the weir the water had an interesting oily look that the camera was able to capture quite nicely.

Snow flakes and oily water.

Snow flakes and an oily texture you can almost touch.

Super Douche

My blood was boiling today to discover the latest droppings from our sociopathic dog owner.

Fresh today.

Fresh today.

This moron loves to leave the crap in groups. Directly across from today’s is this pair:

Scatalogical sociopath.

It’s a fairly hefty dog. Imagine being owned by someone with such limited thinking skills.

 

On the beach.

As the water and ice recede, a few interesting items are left along the small sand beach that is the shore of the Humber.

A toy figure seems to have thrown himself down in despair.

A toy figure seems to have thrown itself on a twig in despair.

More shells and part of a coconut.

Some clam shells and part of a coconut.

Having seen coconut shells scattered along the Humber for years, the source was a puzzle. Visions of coconut groves further upriver were easily but reluctantly dismissed. The mystery wasn’t solved until a few years ago when I witnessed an East Indian gentleman throw a something into the river and discovered that it’s customary for Hindus to make sacrifices to the river gods in this way. The following photograph may be of another such item.

A carved bangle illustrating a couple of voluptuous ladies.

A carved bangle illustrating a couple of voluptuous ladies.

I brought the bangle home to examine it but not wishing for bad karma will return it tomorrow. It seems to have been hand carved from bone or horn. As long as it’s biodegradable along with the coconut, it shouldn’t be a problem.

After all, India is the home of the Kama Sutra...

Cleaned up a little. India is the home of the Kama Sutra…

Bitter cold; shy ducks are named.

The sun is almost at 45° in the sky at noon and yet the cold persists. I discovered this phenomenon along the banks of the Humber where some branches dangling in the (receding yet rough) water have picked up ice in the same way that candlemakers make candles.

There's got to be a name for these - dingicles?

There’s got to be a name for these – dingicles?

Beautiful specimens on the old bridge abutment.

Beautiful specimens on the old bridge abutment.

 

I managed to get my closest yet to the mystery ducks and have finally recognized them thanks to Professor Google.

Common Mergansers.

Two males and a female (not so) Common Mergansers.

They are Common Mergansers – a name that I don’t remember hearing before – but that could be me.

These shy ducks don't like humans.

These shy ducks didn’t like my presence and moved upriver.

Nesting in tree cavities, Common Mergansers, found all over North America dive to feed on fish and other aquatic animals. They make a nice change from the usual Mallard ducks who are considerably tamer.