Friends of Murphys Point Park

Our #SpeciesOfTheWeek is the Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis). This tree also has another fitting name in Latin, “Arborvitae” which means tree of life. In 1536, the crew of famous explorer Jacques Cartier was cured from scurvy by drinking tea from the leaves and bark of the Eastern White Cedar. Soon after, the name Arborvitae was widely used. Arborvitae is also an appropriate name when it comes to the tree’s role in the forest. Cedars are essential for deer year-round. Deer love to eat the foliage and in the winter they provide warmth and shelter from the cold elements, while in summer they provide a cooler environment. The seed cones of the Eastern White Cedar are an important winter food source for birds and small mammals! These trees like to “get their feet wet” so you will most often find them in wet or swampy areas. Can you think of anything made out of Cedarwood?

This week, our #SpeciesOfTheWeek is the Groundhog (Marmota monax). Also known as Woodchuck, Marmot, or Whistle-pigs, these weather-predicting mammals are members of the squirrel family! The Indigenous name for Groundhogs is “wuchak” which roughly translates to “the digger”. So the name Woodchuck has nothing to do with wood at all! Groundhogs are diurnal which means they are most active during the day. They like to eat clovers, dandelions and other plants, but also eat insects, mollusks and bird eggs as well. Groundhogs are well known for building very elaborate burrows which can have multiple levels, different bathrooms, and eating areas. These mansions don’t go to waste because when a groundhog abandons their home, another animal will move in! Foxes, weasels, otters and chipmunks are well known for doing this. Sometimes while a groundhog is hibernating in its burrow, raccoons, rabbits or skunks might move in for the winter. Have you ever seen a Groundhog at Murphys Point?

This week’s #SpeciesOfTheWeek is the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), a bird you’ve probably seen hanging out at your birdfeeder this winter! These birds are quite common in North America, and along with Black-capped Chickadees, are very likely to come close to humans looking for bird seed. Apart from seeds, nuthatches eat nuts that they store in the fall and forage for insects along tree trunks and branches. They have a distinct behaviour while foraging, moving from the top to the bottom of a trunk head-first. Nuthatches nest in tree cavities, and have an interesting method for deterring squirrels… they smear insects around the entrance! Nuthatches are non-migratory and prefer mature woodlands and edge habitats. We often spot them along the Rideau Trail and Sylvan Trail and hear their low-pitched, nasally ‘wha wha wha’ song just as often. Have you ever fed one of these cute birds?