Trail Talk 356 - March 26, 2025

Spring is finally here.  Skunk cabbage is up, snowdrops and Colt’s-foot were blooming on March 16th, and robins are now a common sight.  I saw 18 Tundra Swans, along with several Ring-necked ducks, and some Canada Geese and Mallards on the Maitland River at Forster’s Bridge.  On March 19th there were many Western Honeybees on our crocuses.

On my hikes, I had several surprises, one was a Sucker about 15 inches long caught in a pool in a laneway after the river retreated. I saw it on March 12th and 13th but there was no sign of it two days later.  The river at that time had not come up, so I wonder what caught it.   On Sunday March 16th, I hiked from Morris Tract to River Bend and found the trails were about 99% free of snow. At the side of the trail I saw a dead Red-tailed Hawk, with no indication of why it had died.  I also saw the first new fungi of the year; a Stinking Orange Oyster fungus.   On the Maitland Trail at Snowdrift Hill, it will be quite a while before the six feet of snow melts, but virtually the rest of the Maitland Trail is now free of snow.

Both the Bayfield and Maitland Rivers were in full flood mode on March 16th, with the field South of the river at Forster’s Bridge well flooded. The two Bald Eagle’s nests near there were both occupied.

Notes:

Hikers on any Maitland Trail outing are reminded to sign the 2025 Online waiver, even if they signed the 2024 waiver.   

The Menesetung bridge across the Maitland River at Goderich is planned to be closed to pedestrians and cyclist from some date in April for 16 to 20 weeks.        

Saturday March 30th 1 pm -2.30 pm: Hike the Maitland Trail and Robertson Tract.  Meet at the end of Bridge Road. This is a fairly level section but may be wet in places. To register and confirm your attendance contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com.

Saturday April 12th 10 a.m.  to 12.00 pm: Hike the Naftel’s Creek Conservation Area trails with George Cantin with the option of then also hiking the George Newton Nature Reserve trails. This is a level 1 moderate pace hike. To preregister and confirm your attendance contact George at Streamside@gmail.com.

Tuesday Trompers meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to hike for about an hour. If you wish to be on this email list, sign the waiver, and complete the form on the MTA website.

Midweek hikers meet at 9 a.m. and hike for 1 ½ to 2 hours on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com.