THE SWALLOW FIELD - SPRING, 2021

FOSS volunteers have readied the Tree Swallow nest boxes in the Swallow Field for the expected arrivals in the next few weeks.  They are cleaned out, sterilized and repairs have been done.

Like last year, temporary covers have been put over the entrance holes to keep House Sparrows out and to give the swallows a, literally, fighting chance to prevail over which species will eventually get to use them.  The covers will hopefully prevent the sparrows from getting established before the arriving swallows have had a chance to feed, rest, pair off, take advantage of the growing insect supply and prepare to nest.  The field will be assessed daily for the right moment to remove the covers

House Sparrow predation has been an ongoing issue.  See previous blog posts on this issue  ....

http://www.friendsofsamsmithpark.ca/2019/04/tree-swallows-and-house-sparrow.html

http://www.friendsofsamsmithpark.ca/2020/05/tree-swallow-nest-box-evictions-of.html

http://www.friendsofsamsmithpark.ca/2020/03/tree-swallow-boxes-now-ready-for-guests.html

We have noticed that seeds (rice, different grains, corn, commercial bird seed etc.) are quite often placed on top of the nest boxes, presumably in the mistaken belief that the boxes are feeding stations.  This practice, along with putting bird seed on the large flat rock in the middle of the Swallow Field, draws in House Sparrows and is counter-productive to the Tree Swallow nesting project.  If you witness this, please inform the person(s) who is doing this or just sweep the seeds into the grass below.

Terry Smith has created a video which gives a detailed look at the Swallow Field programme.

ALL WETLANDS ARE PRECIOUS!

Credit for the photo goes to the photographer (Mike McEvoy) and the Thickson's Woods Land Trust.

All wetlands are precious. They provide habitat for wildlife and green space for those who revel in the joys of nature. They also play a major role in filtering run-off water and providing flood control. Wetlands everywhere are under threat from development. 

Duffin's Creek Wetland in Pickering has recently been threatened with destruction. Marshes and wetlands everywhere face the same problem.  The one nearest you might be next! Here is some background information:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/amazon-warehouse-duffins-creek-wetland-pickering-1.5947252

https://www.tvo.org/article/poster-child-for-destruction-the-fight-to-save-the-duffins-creek-wetland-from-developers

Please call or write your MPP to express your concerns.

2021 SAM SMITH PARK CLEAN-UP - SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH, 9 A.M. - and, boy, does it need it!

 

WINTER PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS - FOSS Facebook members have spoken!

 

DENNIS LIU - $100 gift certificate from Urban Nature Stores.

TODD CLUSTIVIK - $60 gift certificate from Urban Nature Stores.

DAN HUANG - $40 gift certificate from Urban Nature Stores.

SAM SMITH PARK "VIRTUAL TREEWALK" VIDEO - LEARN HOW TO IDENTIFY PARK TREES

 

CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW VIDEO

SUMMARY: MINUTES FOSS STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING - FEBRUARY 22ND, 2021

Summary: FOSS Steering Committee Meeting

February 22, 2021

7:04PM, Via Zoom Video Conferencing

FOSS WINTER PHOTO CONTEST: All photos must be submitted to the FOSS FACEBOOK SITE by 8:00PM, Sunday, February 28.  Refer to the FOSS blog for contest details.

Photos submitted must be taken in Col. Sam Smith Park during the winter.

The top three Facebook “likes” shall be deemed as the winners. Results will be posted 2 days after the closure of the contest.

Photos submitted (with permission of the photographers) will become part of an on-line video presentation titled: Colonel Sam Smith Park in Winter.

FOSS PARK PEOPLE GRANT: FOSS gratefully thanks Park People for their generous grant that makes possible the photo contest as well as a variety of other activities for visitors of all ages who appreciate the joys of nature that Col. Sam has to offer. Check FOSS website for details. Those activities include:

Virtual Bird Walk—Saturday, February 27th. 9:00 AM. Live on FOSS Facebook Group.

Kids’ Activities-a new activity presented every Friday. Activities will be archived on the blog for future access.

Wildlife Videos featuring Col. Sam Park: 1. Changing Seasons, 2. Colonel Sam Smith Park: A Sanctuary in the City and 3. Journey of Cooper’s Hawks.

Tree Walk Presentation: 17 minutes long. The video, with accompanying text, highlights a walk-through of Col. Sam Park and emphasizes tree identification.

COLONEL SAM’S BIRD FESTIVAL 2021: On February 19, several members of the FOSS Steering Committee held a video conference with the city’s Bird Festival organizers. Due to COVID-19, the festival will most likely be a virtual (on-line) event. The organizers were impressed with FOSS’s recent activities (i.e. those sponsored by the Park People grant) as well as with FOSS’s on-line sessions presented during last year’s festival. They also expressed interest in a FOSS suggestion about the possible use of QR codes for disseminating park information. 

Visitors are asked to notify the police at 416 808-2200 for drug infractions and 311 for trash build-up. Any problems reported to 311 are greatly strengthened when accompanied with a photo.

13. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "SENSING NATURE - SCAVENGER HUNT"

 

"CHANGING SEASONS: WINTER IN THE PARK" - A PRESENTATION FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT FROM NANCY BARRETT

CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW VIDEO

LIVE SAM SMITH PARK VIRTUAL BIRDWALK - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 9 A.M.

Link to Friends of Sam Smith Park Facebook group.

12. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "WINTER BIRD MOBILE"

 

"COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK - SANCTUARY IN THE CITY" - A SLIDESHOW FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY SANDRA C. HAWKINS

CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW SLIDESHOW

FOSS WINTER PHOTO CONTEST ENDS IN TWO WEEKS

With just over two weeks to go until the winter photo contest ends, there is still time to add your images to the 60 or so already posted in the Winter Photo Contest album on our Facebook page.  

That album can be found under "more", "media" and then "albums". 

Take a moment to look at the beautiful photographs and, as hard as it may be to choose, please add your comments.  Remember, Facebook allows you to rethink any previous comment by simply clicking on it to remove it.  Any "like", "love" or "wow" emoji comment will be accepted as a positive vote for an image for the purpose of selecting the three winners.  

The contest will end at exactly 8 p.m., Sunday 28th. February, 2021.

11. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "PEBBLE ART"

 

10. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "BIRD WINDOW DECALS"

 

SUMMARY: MINUTES FOSS STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING - JANUARY 25TH, 2021

Summary: FOSS Steering Committee Meeting

January 25th, 2021

7:00PM, Via Zoom Video Conferencing

FOSS WINTER PHOTO CONTEST: All photos must be submitted to the FOSS FACEBOOK SITE by 8:00PM, Sunday, February 28.  Refer to the FOSS blog for contest details.

Photos submitted must be taken in Col. Sam Smith Park during the winter.

The top three Facebook “likes” shall be deemed as the winners. Results will be posted 2 days after the closure of the contest.

FOSS PARK PEOPLE GRANT: FOSS gratefully thanks Park People for their generous grant that makes possible the photo contest as well as a variety of other activities for visitors of all ages who appreciate the joys of nature that Col. Sam has to offer. Those activities include:

Winter Bird Feeder Project—Check out the five bird feeding stations that are located around the skating loop. This project is in its 6th season. Thank you to the Urban Nature Store on N. Queen Street for their donation of bird seed. Thanks also to the volunteers who tend to the feeders.

A Boxing Day Walk Around—Nature walk with park visitor interaction. 

Boxing Day Bird Count

Kids’ Friday Activity Corner—Check the blog for kids’ projects. A new one is posted each week.

Due to COVID-19 restraints, planned guided bird and tree identification walks were forced to go “virtual”. See the blog for more information. 

Check the blog for a revolving series of slide presentations about Col. Sam Park:

i) Journey of Cooper’s Hawks 

ii) Col. Sam Smith Park: A Sanctuary in the City

iii) Changing Seasons—Winter in Sam Smith Park

ON-GOING CONCERNS: Unsightly graffiti on the Australian Rules Football storage facility and the growth of numerous new winter trails that disturb/destroy natural vegetation. FOSS will attempt to resolve these concerns.

Visitors are asked to notify the police at 416 808-2200 for drug infractions and 311 for trash build-up. Any problems reported to 311 are greatly strengthened when accompanied with a photo.

9. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "IN THE PARK WORDSEARCH"

 

MYSTERY "GREEN CANOE" FINALLY REMOVED FROM WETLAND POND

For many years the crew at Alan Roy’s annual Sam Smith Park clean-up day have looked at the bow end of a “green canoe” sticking up from the water in the North Creek Wetland pond off the east point of the island and mused about one day removing the unsightly object once and for all.

  

Well, that day came today.

Alan Roy, Terry Smith, Bruce Wilkinson and Alan’s heroic son Alec, plus, of course, Alan’s dog Koa removed the object.  

It turned out not to be a canoe at all but a deflated tetrahedron, marker buoy from a sailboat race that must have come adrift during a storm and floated in to the pond from the lake through the culvert. 

Roped off, wearing chest waders and a life-jacket, the intrepid Alec, under the watchful eye of his dad and dog, ventured out on to the ice from the island and secured a line to the object.  

Then, using an axe, Alec cut a channel through the ice for the shore crew to haul it ashore while they marked the timing of each heave on the line by, of course, singing sea shanties.

As the buoy was dragged back along the shoreline for disposal, a lot of very sleepy looking crayfish tumbled out of it and were tossed back in to the water.

Done, finally! 

A very good day.

8. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "SWAN ORIGAMI"

 

"JOURNEY OF COOPER'S HAWKS" - A FOSS presentation from Irene Cholewka

"A SAM SMITH OWL SPEAKS"

 

7. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "PINECONE BIRD FEEDER"

 

6. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "ORIGAMI RABBIT"

 

FOSS ONLINE WINTER PHOTO CONTEST STARTED NEW YEAR'S DAY! HERE ARE THE DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMITTING ENTRIES

The winter photo contest should showcase the diversity of wildlife and the beauty of the natural landscape in Sam Smith Park during this or any previous winter season (images taken outside the park will be removed from the photo album).

Entry submission period – January 1st until February 28th 2021.

Anyone who has experienced the beauty of the park and is a FOSS Facebook group member is eligible to enter.  Judging will be done by the FOSS Facebook community through “likes”.  FOSS steering committee members will not be eligible to enter but can “like”. The photos must respect privacy – any discernible photos of people will be also removed from the photo album.  

In order to stay consistent with FOSS policies about not posting owl images from the park, any owl images will be removed from the contest album.

 

Post all submissions directly to the Winter Photo Contest album on the FOSS Facebook page. The album can be found under the heading “Media – Albums”.  A title and the photographer’s name may be added in the description box under the image if desired.  Please make sure that you have submitted no more than five images by the end of the submission period – Sunday, February 28th 2021.  It is understood that any image entered in the contest may be used by Friends of Sam Smith Park for promotional purposes only (e.g. slideshow).

Judging will be based on the number of “likes” an image receives from Facebook group members and can be posted any time during the submission period.  Any ties will be decided by coin toss. Facebook allows one like per group member per image.  A previous like can be easily removed and reallocated as the two month submission period unfolds by simply re-clicking “like” under the image to remove it. 

First prize will be a gift certificate to the value of $100, second prize $60, and third prize $40.  Winners will be privately messaged for contact information so that they can receive their prizes.  Winners’ names will be announced on our Facebook page and blog as soon as possible after contest ends.

5. KID'S FRIDAY ACTIVITY CORNER - "BIRD SEED COOKIES"

 

FOSS ONLINE WINTER PHOTO CONTEST STARTS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

Friends of Sam Smith Park's online winter photo contest starts January 1st, 2021 and will continue until the end of February when prize winners will be announced.  Details and directions will be posted on this blog and on our Facebook page on New Year's day as well as being emailed to our contact list.

It is important to note that only FOSS Facebook group members will be able to post their photographs and vote, so, if you are not a member already and you are a Facebook user, please take a few moments to sign up.

We are excited about this new project and look forward to seeing and sharing beautiful images of our special park and its wildlife during the winter season.

WHIMBREL POINT'S WEATHER DAMAGED SIGNS REPLACED.

Friends of Sam Smith Park volunteers were out at Whimbrel Point over the holidays replacing the faded weather-damaged signs on the utility pole.

It gave them the opportunity to explain to curious park visitors the significance of that special spot, the best spot anywhere to observe the spring whimbrel migration, and to pass on the story behind the bench’s dedication plaque to Fred Bodsworth and his role in the fact that we can still see this beautiful bird and other passing shorebirds today.

Click here for a previous, more detailed, FOSS post on Fred.