Paddling the Humber River

After finding we were too early for the salmon run at Étienne Brûlé park on Saturday we canoed the Humber on Sunday.

Even though it was busier than I have ever seen it with people in the park we saw so much wildlife. The biggest treat was a pair of deer, which you don’t expect right in the city.

In the same marsh on the Humber River there was a great egret and great blue herons.

The Humber is home to a very large number of double-crested cormorants. We often see mute swans, Canada geese and mallards but this time as the water level was so low in the marsh we saw dozens of these adorable little lesser yellow legs wandering around in the mud.

There were literally piles of turtles, mainly map and painted turtles too.

The Brick Works

Which reminds me, I never did tell you about our trip to the Brick Works. I've been wanting to check it out. We went the last Sunday in July, for the antique market. I wanted to see the graffiti in the old brick works themselves. It also has its own example of an urban marsh too. RJH thought it was a bit contrived, and the brick works a little too tamed, but I really enjoyed it. I think it's a great idea, reclaiming industrial space as art, event and nature space. I love, of course, that the graffiti is not only left, but featured. They have a farmer's market on Saturdays too. I also enjoyed the historical photos of the great Toronto fire of 1904. I can only imagine how hot it must have been in there with all the kilns firing, day and night, to rebuild the city core.















We saw snapping and painted turtles, and watched the great blue heron at length. The marsh was full of bees, butterflies, dragonflies and moths too. Another oasis within the city.