Friends of Murphys Point Park

This week’s #SpeciesOfTheWeek is Ontario’s provincial tree, the Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus). This is the tallest tree we have in Eastern Canada! The tallest White Pine is a whopping 47 meters tall and it is located close to Ottawa. The easiest way to identify a White Pine is by counting the needles in a bundle. There are 5 needles in a bundle just like there are 5 letters in the word white! They are the only pines with 5 needles that are native to Eastern North America. The bark of White Pines is smooth and gray when young, gradually developing broad furrowed ridges as it matures. White Pines are important wildlife trees. They provide food and shelter for many animals like porcupines, squirrels, owls, hawks and deer. Their soaring height also makes them ideal places for birds like Red-tailed Hawks to nest. White Pine needles are much softer than other pines so the next time you see one, try running your hand across them! If the needles are too high to touch, you can marvel at the size of the tree and give it a big hug!

This week’s #SpeciesOfTheWeek is the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). It is the second-largest rodent in North America after the beaver, and also has the most northerly range of any rodent species. The characteristic 3” barbed quills on the back and tail can number up to 30,000, and each has yellowish colour with black tips. The North American Porcupine is mostly a solitary creature, though in the winter they may den with up to 8 individuals. They are mostly nocturnal and communicate using a system of chemical, tactile, visual and acoustic signals. A porcupine’s diet mainly consists of vegetation such as leaves, twigs and fruits, but during the winter they switch to mainly eating tree bark. Murphys Point Provincial Park is a great place to observe this species in its natural habitat. Have you ever seen one here at the park?

Spring is approaching and some birds are coming back, but this week’s #SpeciesOfTheWeek is one that never left! The Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is one of North America’s most widespread and common birds. Its range covers all of Canada and the continental United States. Many populations, including those in Central and Southern Ontario, do not migrate in the winter. Song Sparrows use a wide variety of habitats, including open fields, lake edges, deciduous forests, and suburban habitats. They will regularly visit bird feeders, and due to their abundance, are good starter birds for amateur birders to learn how to identify. Song Sparrows have regional differences in their colouration and streaking; there are 24 recognized subspecies, but they can all be identified from other sparrows by the streaking on the chest. The streaks look like they were painted on, and usually converge into a big blotch at the centre. Song Sparrows can also be identified by their distinctive song, which starts with several spaced-out notes and ends with a trill. Male Song Sparrows use their songs to mark their territory and attract mates. Laboratory studies found that females were more attracted to males with more complex songs, who had learned certain components from other Song Sparrows. Keep your ears open and soon you’ll notice their song almost everywhere you go!