Black, Gray, Red Squirrels, Lake Ontario Freighter on an Autumn Afternoon : This is Travel?

Squirrels in black, gray and red, a passing freighter on Lake Ontario and a sunny Autumn afternoon don't have a lot to do with travel, though an argument could be made for the freighter: Some Great Lakes boats will take paying passengers from Thunder Bay to Quebec City.  But really, I was so pleased to finally get a picture of a red squirrel, I just had to show you! But first, the black and the gray squirrels:

Gray Squirrel

There are lots of fluffy gray squirrels in Port Credit, especially in the city parks. They're pretty active all year round, burying and digging up peanuts that well meaning but misguided people feed them. Wildlife should be wild; we do them no favor by interfering.

Black Squirrel

Black squirrels, too, are abundant and active year round. Visitors from England were always delighted when they spotted one digging holes in my garden. I was not delighted at all.

Red Squirrel

But this red squirrel is another matter entirely. Red squirrels are not all that common. They move so fast, and they are so much smaller than the black and gray squirrels, that when you do spot one, half the time you cannot tell if it's a red squirrel or a chipmunk.

Red Squirrel - Nest in Tree

This old apple tree has a hollow center, a fact that doesn't prevent it from leafing  out each year, and bearing tiny fruit. It's also a perfect nesting place for squirrels. 

Baby Gray Squirrel in Nest in Tree

Early last spring, this nest was the home of a family of gray squirrels. In fact, I noticed new dried grasses tucked into the hole in this same tree today, which is why I went to have a closer look. The Gray Squirrel family moved out in early summer, and now the red squirrels have moved in.

Red Squirrel Close Up

I had my camera at the ready as soon as I noticed the red squirrel darting about the gardens. I wondered if it was using the same tree for a nest and sure enough, in it went. I focused on the opening, and when the red squirrel poked its head out, I took this picture. Actually I was able to take several pictures, as Red seemed transfixed. This is the longest I have ever seen this squirrel be still.

Old Apple Tree Condo

Something else may have taken up residence in one of the cherry trees in the park. Mississauga once was flush with orchards, and these Gardens are full of old apple and cherry trees.

Lake Ontario Freighter 

On the horizon, this freighter was moving fairly quickly eastward, towards Toronto, and beyond. I include it with the pictures of the squirrels because it's as rare to see a large ship passing by as it is to get a red squirrel to sit still for a photo.

But I didn't stop there. Why be satisfied with a picture of a red squirrel? Why not try for a video? And so I did. Here's the best I could do on the spur of the moment. Keep watch out for the second red squirrel caught on film! And the flash of gray squirrel who gets in their way.

Red Squirrel Romp on YouTube
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Related: I took these pictures at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens.
See Wildlife in Mississauga (City Mississauga) and Great Lakes Cruises to Thunder Bay

Port Credit Ontario Lunch for Swans, Geese

A very chilly Good Friday in lovely downtown Port Credit, with the sun shining weakly, and a north wind nipping at ears and fingers! But these birds along the west bank of the Credit River at Lake Ontario didn't seem to mind.
The birds were too intent on eating the grain someone had put out for them to bother much with people, but even so, I kept one eye on the view finder and the other one on the view, as geese can give you quite a good bite if they want to. My grandmother used her geese on the farm as watch dogs. Turkeys make good watch dogs, too, come to think of it.

This long necked swan was warning off the interloper -- for a moment, I thought they might come to wing-blows. With the temperatures in Port Credit (which is often warmer in winter than more northerly areas of Mississauga) hovering just above freezing during the day, and dipping below zero at night, the birds might be thinking it's time to start this year's family.


I hope not, as Spring is not watching the calendar this year, and is not likely to appear for at least another month. For while this type of weather perfectly suits maple syrup production (photos), it's definitely not suitable for cygnets!

Mississauga Wildlife :: A Walk in the Park

When you live in Port Credit, there's less of an urge to head north to cottage country to experience the natural life. Just west of where the Credit River enters Lake Ontario, there are lots of parks and natural areas that are host to a variety of wildlife, some benign, and some, such as the coyotes in the area (sign, photo below), with a caution.

On the Waterfront Trail, just as it enters Saddrington Park, I heard a crackling sound in the underbrush that fills much of the lands owned by Imperial Oil. This large green space is totally fenced, with a barbed wire top, and many signs telling us to stay out. (It was here that I saw a coyote loping along the other evening.) I stood still, looked for the source of the noise, and saw this deer. It was only about 10 feet from the trail, but on the other side of the fence (center, photo below).

Here's a close up. You can see how serious this fence is. I was the only one on the trail at the time, but other walkers came along. We watched the deer make several fruitless attempts to find an opening in the fence before it headed out of sight, into the center of the green space.

Over by the Port Credit lighthouse, just under the bridge that crosses Lakeshore Road, passersby stopped to watch these nesting swans.



Here's a shot of the Toronto skyline. The CN Tower, just to the right of the rusting tanker, makes a good reference point to give some idea of the distance from Mississauga to the heart of Toronto.


For more photos of Mississauga, see my photo web site for the pages for Mississauga and Streetsville.