We continued to have unseasonably warm and sunny weather until this week. Early in the week, rain finally arrived, accompanied by a drop in temperatures. Daytime temperatures will be in the high teens (Centigrade) and in the single digits overnight.
The canopy is gradually showing more colour.
Two Parks
On a weekend visit in the east end of Toronto, we had time for brief visits to two parks.
Cathedral Bluffs Park
Scarborough Bluffs Park is composed of 11 interconnected parks that span 15 kilometers along the Lake Ontario shoreline. We only had time for a brief visit to Cathedral Bluffs Park. Cathedral Bluffs refer to the fragile sandstone cliffs that tower over the shoreline. The bluffs are rapidly eroding due to wave action, water runoff and seepage, and the freeze-thaw cycle. The City of Toronto and the regional conservation authority work together to create and maintain the greenspaces of the park system.
On Lake Ontario, there are always Ring-billed Gulls…
Sharp eyes spotted this Rock Pigeon high on the bluff and a Green Heron on the railing of a distant settlement pond.
Black Saddlebags are large, skimmer dragonflies. The black blotches on the wings make them look as though they are wearing saddlebags.
At this time of year, there are many species of asters in bloom.
Biidaagise Park
A century ago, the mouth of the Don River was diverted into a channel and the marshland along the Lake Ontario shore was turned into an industrial site. The channelling of the river has resulted in frequent extensive flooding and closure of the Don Valley Parkway. With the advent of climate change, even more destructive flooding was predicted. The project to reconstruct the mouth of the river was begun in 2017. The plan was to transform the industrial area into a 60-acre park, walking trails, a children’s play area, the Lassonde Art Trail, marshes, bridges and streams, and a new housing community. Much of that work, except the housing, is now largely complete.
In consultation with the Indigenous community, the park was named Biidaasige Park (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh), meaning “sunlight shining toward us” in Anishinaabemowin.
We had time to explore the playground and trails only briefly. Both had recently opened to the public and were already a popular destination.
The development is situated on an island that is accessed by colourful bridges.
There is a launch pad in the park for canoes and kayaks to navigate the channels through the streams and marshlands.
The paths were overflowing with native flowers.
The blooms attracted many bees and other pollinators, including this spectacular American Lady.
There were separate areas for large and small dogs.
The most popular area was the extensive playground that featured beautifully crafted swings and climbing structures. Of these, the Snowy Owl attracted the most attention.
We were happy to be heading out of Toronto before the second playoff game between the Blue Jays and Yankees began!
Some colour along the highway on the trip home…
Dwayne Gretzky Music Videos
The band’s self-description is “Dwayne Gretzky is Canada’s greatest party band and a can’t-miss live music experience celebrating classic hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s.” If all they did was cover Queen songs, I would still be featuring them.
Here are some of my favourite songs from their large number of YouTube videos.