Bray Lake Flora, Fauna and Aqua Biota

The following section represent the flora* that the administrators of Bray Lake Stewardship have identified as indigenous species in and around Bray Lake over their many years of property ownership. While there are other species i.e. Scotch Pine in evidence, they are not an indigenous species. It was among the first European tree species [Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)] introduced into North America where over time, the species reference as “Scotch pine” became common.

Some indigenous species i.e. Jack Pine have not been observed.

We would encourage feedback to this site, Bray Lake Flora and Fauna, either as new information as to species to be included in Bray Lake's aqua biota inventory or basic questions as to where the species listed have been observed around Bray Lake and environs. In either case coordinates is the preferred location description; however, descriptions i.e. 100' south of dam 50' back from shoreline will suffice.

Mammal* sightings of significance 2012

Courtesy of Wikipedia Algonquin Provincial Park

Any and all of the following mammals may be present around Bray lake and environs:

Common Shrew, Smoky Shrew, Water Shrew, Pigmy Shrew, Short-tailed Shrew, Hairy-tailed Mole, Star-nosed Mole, Little Brown Bat, Northern Long-eared Bat, Silver-haired Bat, Hoary Bat, Snowshoe Hare, Eastern Chipmunk, Least Chipmunk, Woodchuck, Grey Squirrel, American Red Squirrel, Northern Flying Squirrel, American Beaver, Deer Mouse, White-footed Mouse, Gapper’s Red-backed Vole, Southern Bog Lemming, Muskrat, Meadow Vole, Rock Vole, House Mouse, Meadow Jumping Mouse, Woodland Jumping Mouse, porcupine, Red Fox, American Black Bear, Raccoon, American Marten, Fisher, Ermine, Long-tailed Weasel, American Mink, Striped Skunk, Northern River Otter, Lynx, White-tailed Deer, Moose and Eastern Wolf.

Clearly we have all seen some of the fore mentioned mammals in and around Bray Lake; most we can identify others not; and many others we have never seen.

For the purposes of this blog we are only highlighting those mammal sightings that can be identified but rarely seen in and around Bray Lake.

Coyote

Coyote's are members of the dog family. Appearance:

- yellowish brown to tawney grey in colour

- belly is usually off-white and this colour extends into the throat area

- pointed muzzle

- flat forehead

- bushy tail carried down

- size is between a fox and a wolf.

- size varies females weigh an average of 33-40 lbs and males are slightly larger (average 34-47 lbs)

The coyotes found on Bray Lake would be technically called Eastern Coyotes that are a larger version of Western Coyotes but inbreeding of the Coyote population in Canada has resulted in 16 sub-species being identified,

Coyotes will eat almost anything. They hunt rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, and even deer. They also happily dine on insects, snakes, fruit, grass, and carrion. Because they sometimes kill lambs or would like to kill a lamb the residents at Thorsby Corners regularly see Coyotes around their property because one of the residents raises sheep.

If you walk Bray Lake Road chances are that you have seen Coyote scat and may have thought that it was from a large dog and certainly that could have been the case. The identifying features of Coyote scat are:

- 4" to 6" long

- 3/4" in diameter (wolf scat is typically 1" to 11/2" in diameter)

- tapered at the end

- may contain evidence of hair, blood, bones, fruit berries, grass

- colour can vary

Of particular note the hair, bones and tapered ends, these identifying features differentiate coyote scat from domestic dogs that are of consistent appearance and consistency due to the uniformity of domestic dog food and the ends are not tapered. Wolf scat is just a larger version of Coyote scat in terms of volume and diameter.

There has been occasions over the years in the late spring that I will see moose tracks and several set of canine tracks together along Bray Lake Road. This would indicate that there was a pair or more of Grey Wolfs or Coyotes following a pregnant female moose waiting for her to drop her calf. Moose calves are born early May to mid June weighing 25 to 30 pounds and while not an easy target because the cow is extremely protective: predation by Coyote's (Black Bear and Wolves) is a regular occurrence especially if twin or triplet moose calves are born.

Coywolf

Part wolf, part coyote this new hybrid cross bred species was the subject of a David Suzuki "Nature of Things" program on CBC February 14, 2013. http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/meet-the-coywolf.html It’s an example of Darwinism at work.

This hybrid originated around 1919 at the "southern end of Algonquin Park less than a hundred years ago." Genetic testing shows that the hybrid coywolf "has spread across North America at an unprecedented pace, returning a new top predator to territories once roamed by wolves". They have now been identified from Nova Scotia to New York. According to the David Suzuki program their means of spreading out from Algonquin was along RR corridors.

They are :

- larger than a coyote but smaller than a wolf

- having “a coyote like skull with wolf like teeth Ref http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/The+Nature+of+Things/Extras/ID/2329954946/

- tail is not as bushy as coyote and held higher

- in Algonquin Park both wolves, coyotes and now coywolves live in social packs

Unlike wolves:

- coywolves prefer to go after much smaller prey, like rodents and birds

- they are solitary hunters or with paired mate

With reference from http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/meet-the-coywolf.html

In the Township of Machar 2013 Spring Newsletter it reports "Packs of wolves have been seen in the Eagle Lake Area." We are suspect for a couple of reasons:
1.) Different packs or the same pack observed on several occasions
2.) How many animals constitute a pack or was it a pair
3.) Was there species verification as to wolf or could it have been coyote or coywolf
4.) Experience has taught us that incidents of this nature tend to be over exaggerated

River otters are members of the weasel family and are active year round.

They feed on whatever might be available i.e. fish, amphibians, crayfish and mollusks (oysters). Typically they hunt at night.

On the few occasions over the years that I see Otters while canoeing in the back water areas behind Bear Island. I hear them before I see them because they make a distinctive grunting / snort / squeaking sounds.

Their home, called a holt, is a burrow near the water's edge and would be indistinguishable from a bank beaver burrow. because Otters rarely dig holts themselves. Instead, they make their homes in abandoned beaver burrows. A typical holt would have a main entrance under water leading to a small space above the water with several breathing holes. Female otters deliver litters of one to six pups in the spring. The kits start to leave the burrow at about two months of age. Males do not help raise the young in fact they are solitary creatures except when they pair up during mating season.

They have streamlined bodies, webbed feet and long tapered tails
Their ears and nose close when they go underwater.
Dense, oily fur and heavy layers of body fat insulate them in the water.
The have an acute sense of smell, and prominent facial whiskers, which are extremely sensitive to touch.
Otters are dark brown with pale brown or gray bellies.
The muzzle and throat are silvery.
Males and females look alike, although males are larger.

While Otters may not be seen regularly, we do see regularly see broken open oyster shells around our docks. Some cottagers think that the oyster shells were broken open by raccoons but more often than not Otters or Muskrats are responsible.

I will include a section on *Fresh Water Mussels further along in this document.

Marten

Sometimes called American Marten or Pine Marten. A Marten is smaller than a Fisher. This member of the weasel family has such long, lustrous fur. Their fur varies in colour between individuals and by season. In summer it tends to be a tawny to dark brown, and in winter it is darker. Males weigh about 3 - 31/2 pounds and are about 15% larger than females

Generally, loners, they come together only briefly during the mid-summer breeding season, often mating with several partners.

Marten are carnivores, or meat-eaters, whose main food consists of small animals such as meadow voles, shrews, snowshoe hares, red squirrels and birds. They also feed on berries, bird eggs, insects and carrion when available.

Around Bray Lake the marten's only natural enemies are the equally agile Fisher.

Northern Flying Squirrel

Flying squirrels are not capable of powered flight like birds or bats; instead, they glide between trees.

Northern flying squirrels about the size of a Chipmunk (Least Chipmunk) are found throughout most of the forested areas of Canada including Bray Lake and environs. They are active in all seasons, but they are rarely seen by humans because of their nocturnal habits. Their large, dark eyes are specially adapted for night vision; they see as well at night as humans can see during the day.

A furry membrane unites the front and back legs. When stretched, it acts like a parachute, enabling the squirrel to glide from higher branches to lower ones. Northern flying squirrels can glide from 3 to 50 m (10 to 164 ft.) and they can change direction mid-glide. This species averages about 30 cm (12 in.) long, including about 14 cm (5.5 in.) of tail.

These squirrels are most active between dusk and dawn. Omnivorous, it eats nuts, seeds, berries, insects, tree buds and sometimes eggs or nestlings. Although the northern and southern flying squirrels are mainly found in trees, they forage the forest ground for food.

I personally have never seen them during the day but I have photographed them foraging under a bird feeder and eating peanuts on the deck with night vision trail cameras.

Little Brown Bat

We are including the "Little Brown Bat" because of what we perceive as a noticeable reduction in sighting for 2012. While there is a fungus affecting this species in the NE US, this fungal infection is not prevalent in Ontario where it would be affecting Little Brown Bats on Bray Lake and environs. It may be simply that there was noticeably less mosquitoes and black flies in 2012 because of the early summer temperatures and lack of rainfall and the Little Brown Bats moved on to a where there was a better food source.

There are eight different species of bats in Ontario. Around Bray Lake and environs we commonly see the little brown bat (4-8 grams) which is the most common and best known bat in Ontario.

In many ways bats are typical mammals: they are warm-blooded and they give birth to live young and suckle them. They differ from all other mammals, however, in their ability to fly. Their wings are folds of skin stretched between elongated fingerbones, the sides of the body, the hind limbs. A resting bat usually hangs head downward and takes flight by releasing its toehold.

Little brown bats are nocturnal. By day, they roost in the caves above Indian Head Rock on Bear Island, in the leaves of trees,building crevices and man-made bat houses. At sunset they fly out to catch insects by a system of "echolocation", whereby they emit a high-frequency sounds, which bounce back to them and give them an accurate "picture" of their surroundings.

Little brown bats are insectivores feeding on only insects caught in flight. They eat moths, wasps, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes, midges and mayflies, among others. Since many of their preferred meals are insects with an aquatic life stage, such as mosquitoes, they prefer to roost near water. They can consume half their weight in flying insects each day consuming as many as 600 mosquitoes in a single hour.

Life Cycle:

Brown bats live approximately 6 to 7 years and often live well beyond 10 years. Breeding usually occurs in late summer or early autumn and the female stores the sperm until the following April when the female ovulates and the egg is fertilized and implanted. The female gives birth 60 to 90 days later. There are usually one or two young. The young usually stay under parental care during June and July. No nest is required, as the young are able to fly and obtain their own food in just three weeks.

In late fall little brown bats hibernate. To do this the bats around Bray Lake probably migrate to where they can find cave or abandoned mines that stay a few degrees above freezing and have a humidity close to 80 percent (very damp). During the early group roosting stage of hibernation mating takes place until the cold temperature puts them in full hibernation mode.

Rabies

- Like other mammals, bats may have rabies.

- Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the mammal’s central nervous system. It is spread by contact with the saliva of an infected animal.

- Rabid bats often lose their ability to fly, or do not fly well. They rarely become aggressive.

- Careless handling of bats is the primary source of rabies exposure from bats.

Reference: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Rabies/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_166322.html

White Nose Syndrome

In March 2010, white nose syndrome was confirmed for the first time in Ontario. Affected bats have visible rings of white fungus around their faces. The cause of the syndrome is a fungus that grows in the skin of the bat, producing a white, fuzzy appearance on the muzzle, wings and ears. Infected bats emerge from hibernation more frequently than normal during winter hibernation, exhausting their energy reserves before food becomes available in the spring.

Reference: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/2ColumnSubPage/278166.html

There is consensus among researchers that bat-to-bat transmission is the predominant factor in the spread of the disease.

Reference:^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_nose_syndrome}

A February 17, 2013 Toronto Star article "Bat killing disease discovered in Canada" reports:

- Now, more than 20 cases of the disease have been confirmed at three sites in Ontario.

- “(It’s) still a small number of bats, especially when you compare it to the amount of mortality that they’re seeing in the United States — where hundreds of thousands of bats are estimated to have died

Reference: ” http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/03/23/bat_killing_disease_discovered_in_canada.html February 17, 2013

*Bird Noteworthy Species 2012

Most birds in Ontario are protected by The Migratory Birds Convention Act (MBCA) The exceptions are invasive species i.e. European Starling and Sparrow plus a few others that were deliberately imported. It should be noted that Canada Geese are protected under the (MBCA) It is illegal to harass, disturb, damage or destroy the nest or eggs of Canada Geese. Notwithstanding the facts that Canada Geese will eat 2-3 pounds of grass and deposit approximately 1-2 pounds of (potentially, disease and parasite contaminated) droppings every day. Canada Geese love cultivated lawns and if you have one your property will be a target.

- The only real solution for the weekend cottager is to get over your urban mentality of a manicured lawn and let the grass at least adjacent to the water grow longer or plant coarse, tall grasses that are less appealing to geese.

- for the seasonal resident disturb the birds as soon as they arrive to deter them from settling on the property. Short-term techniques include noisemakers, hand clapping, whistling and running your dog along the shoreline.

The key is moderation in the way Canada Geese or for that matter any birds are deterred because physical harm, egg poaching or nest destruction can result in an individual being fined $100,000 or imprisonment for five years or both.

Bald Eagle

In the early fall 2012, Bray Lake had a Bald Eagle drop by for a couple of weeks. The large brown body with white head and tail feather made it unmistakable. The sight was spectacular as the bird soared across Bray Lake to a perch on Birch Island.

Bald Eagles are the largest raptors in North America. Fish are at the top of their menu although they are an opportunistic carnivore and carrion eater. This was not the first sighting of this bird species on Bray Lake:
- years ago a cottager observed a Bald Eagle drop out of the sky and grab a juvenile beaver; too heavy to take flight from the lake, it swam the 50' to shore where it was able to regain flight.
- another incident where a north side cottager lost her small dog (Chihuahua) to a raptor, probably a bald eagle

The Bald Eagle is an opportunistic carnivore with the capacity to predate a great variety of prey. Throughout their range, fish, birds and small mammals compromise the lion's share of the eagle's diet. Bald Eagles have never nested in the Almaguin Highlands or Algonquin Park. In fact has been years since Bald Eagles nested on the Great Lakes. Reference https://www.rbg.ca/baldeagles

Pileated Woodpecker

While not uncommon to Bray Lake, it is always a joy to see these large striking birds. The largest of all woodpeckers they are about the size of a crow. Distinctive black and white stripes on the head and neck, long bills and flaming red crests. They have an undulating flight pattern like other woodpeckers as they flit from tree to tree. More often than not I hear them before I see them hammering away at a dead tree for their favorite food carpenter ants and beetle larva.

Pileated Woodpeckers don't just peck at dead trees in search of food they whack it leaving large rectangular holes; although feeding cavities can be irregular in shape with rough edges. Once through the wood, they use their long, barbed and very sticky tongue to get the ants or grubs.

Pileated woodpeckers usually mate for life. Nesting cavity depth can range from 10-24 inches. They lay on average 4 eggs, with both partners sharing nesting duties - from building to incubating to feeding. A Pileated pair's territory can be 100 to 200 acres that they fiercely defend. Because this bird species is highly territorial there is a limited number of pairs around Bray Lake, this is the primary reason that we rarely see Pileated Woodpeckers around our respective cottage properties or along the road.

Dead or dying trees, stumps, and logs are a valuable and essential for Pileated Woodpeckers for nesting, roosting, and feeding.

This is why it is critical for large acreage property owners to leave dead or dying trees (aka "snag") standing. By providing habitat for Pileated Woodpeckers you also benefit many other species that depend on holes created by Pileateds for homes i.e. Wood Ducks, European Starlings, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, and Great Crested Flycatchers, Bats, Tree Swallows, Mergansers, Wood Ducks, Flying Squirrels, Owls, Bluebirds, and Martens . (We have a blog Post related to private land Stewardship and the importance of Snags for wildlife preservation and eventually soil nutrification.)

Blue Bird

Of the three species of Blue Birds the one that we sometimes see around Bray Lake and environs is the Eastern Blue bird. They are a small thrush with a big, rounded head, large eye, plump body, and alert posture. The male is a brilliant royal blue on the back and head with a red / brown on the breast.

Their preferred habitat is meadows surrounded by trees that offer suitable nest holes as they commonly use old Pileated Woodpecker holes for nesting or in their absence nest boxes. They feed by perching on fence wires, posts and low branches in or adjacent to meadows scanning the ground for prey. They feed by dropping to the ground onto insects or occasionally by catching an insect in midair.. Major prey include caterpillars, beetles crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. In fall and winter, bluebirds eat large amounts of fruit including mistletoe, sumac, blueberries, black cherry, tupelo, currants, wild holly, dogwood berries, hackberries, honeysuckle, bay, pokeweed, and juniper berries.

While I have over the years seen them on my cottage property, I have never known them to nest in the bush or in the multiple nest boxes that I have around my property. The majority of times that I have seen them is along Bray Lake Road leading to Thorsby's Corner where the land has been cleared and is currently used for sheep grazing. Unfortunately their habit of perching along the fence lines and posts, scamming and then dropping to the ground for insects make them vulnerable to domestic feline predation. While Blue Birds can live for 6 to 10 years a majority of bluebirds die within their first year of life. Starvation and freezing can threaten young bluebirds, but most threats come from egg and chick predation by Raccoons, Marten, Eastern Chipmunks, Flying Squirrels, and Red Squirrels.

The Eastern Bluebirds are considered partial migrants. Scientist believe that a certain percentage of bluebirds aren’t genetically programmed to fly south in the winter. Those that don't migrate will gather in large family flocks at the end of nesting season and live more in the woods. They forage on fruit, nuts, and berries. Those that do migrate will travel to southerly latitudes going as far as Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.

Bluebird populations fell in the early twentieth century as aggressive introduced species such as European Starlings and House Sparrows made available nest holes increasingly difficult for bluebirds to hold on to. In the 1960s and 1970s establishment of bluebird trails and other nest box campaigns alleviated much of this competition, especially after people began using nest boxes designed to keep out the larger European Starling. Eastern Bluebird numbers have been recovering since.

While there is a remote chance that Blue Birds will nest around cottages due to the lack of open space (meadows); however, on that remote chance cottagers can increase the attractiveness of their property by constructing nest boxes because of the shortage of "snag" around cottage property and buildings for safety considerations.

Competition for nest boxes will exist that is why entry holes at 1 1/2" are critical to discourage Grackles, Starlings and Blackbirds

Blue Bird Nest Box Plans

Common Merganser

We have all seen "mother" Merganser with her chicks, numbering up to a dozen, skittering along Bray Lake shore line in the spring.

But did you know that the Common Merganser is a sexually dimorphic species, meaning that there is appearance differences between the male and female.

Female Description:

The female has a brown body, with a white underside and a light brown ragged crest extending from the back of the head. Bill scarlet-orange. (as above with the chicks)

Male (Drake) Description:

The drake has both a non-breeding and a breeding plumage

Non-breeding Plumage:
The male has a similar appearance to the female during non-breeding season (although his eyes are yellow while the female's are brown). Head rusty brown with short ragged crest. Chin white. Breast, back, wings, and tail slaty gray. Belly and flanks white. Bill scarlet-orange. White patch in wing visible in flight. Like female, except shorter head crest and wing has larger white patch.

Breeding Plumage:
By late October some drakes have begun to acquire their breeding plumage. The head, back and neck become iridescent greenish black with white stripes near the chest and tail. Neck, under parts, and sides white. Outer part of wings black. Bill scarlet-orange. In breeding plumage the drake's have no crest on head.

Breeding season would be considered as soon as the ice is out to early spring. From a distance the drake's black and white plumage could be mistaken for a loon. Look for the scarlet orange bill.

It is typically only during the breeding season that merganser both male and female would be observed perching on branches of trees along the shoreline. It is during this period that the female may be scouting tree cavity nest sites. Nest cavities can be in live or "snag" trees and are usually close to water. Cavities are typically 10–50 feet off the ground. In the absence of suitable trees, they also may nest on the ground under a bush or log, or in a nest box with a 3" to 5"entrance hole.
The male typically disappears and molting begins once egg laying begins.

The female lays a clutch of 9 or 10 white to yellowish eggs, but a clutch can grow larger when other females surreptitiously ‘dump’ extra eggs into a clutch The
female incubates the eggs for about five weeks, eating very little during this period.

Common Merganser ducklings leave their nest cavity within 24 hours of hatching. First, their mother checks the area around the nest and calls to the nestlings from ground level. From inside the nest, the little chicks scramble up to the entrance hole and then flutter to the ground, which may be 50 feet or more below them. The chick then follow their mother's lead to the lake. Occasionally ducklings are taken by their mother in her bill. Once in the water the mother protects the chicks that can sometimes be seen riding on her back but she does not feed them. They dive to catch all of their own food. They eat mostly aquatic insects at first, but switch over to fish when they are about 12 days old.

Common Mergansers are diving ducks that eat fish almost exclusively.
They have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey.

The species is a partial migrant with birds moving away from rivers and lakes that freeze in the winter to bodies of water that do no freeze i.e. Burlington Harbour or the upper Niagara River.

Double Crested Cormorant

This much maligned bird species is occasionally seen in the backwater areas of Bray Lake where there is an abundance of dead heads for perching.

The double-crested cormorant is a little more than two feet long with a wingspan of about four feet. It has dark brown to greenish black feathers, small head, a long hooked bill roughly the length of the head, orange throat pouch, long kinked neck, a long tail, and webbed black feet.
During breeding season males have two curly black crests on their heads; otherwise, males and females look alike. On the water they sit low, with the head and bill usually tilted slightly upward. Smaller fish may be eaten while the bird is still beneath the surface but bigger prey is often brought to the surface before it is eaten

Cormorants have never been known to nest on Bray Lake. Nesting is not done by single pairs but rather in colonies where they would build stick nests in trees, on cliff edges, or on the ground on suitable islands.

Cormorants have received a bad name and for good reason because their nesting colonies have a significant negative impact on the environment where trees and ground vegetation are killed off by their excretions. They are also considered to be fish pigs because they consume large quantities of game fish but they are not unlike a pair of loons that can consume 2000 pounds of fish in one breeding season.

However due to significant population increases in areas around the Great Lake's watersheds the MNR has been culling Cormorants.

Like most birds in Ontario Cormorants are protected by The Migratory Bird Convention Act (MCBA). Anyone inflicting physical harm can be fined $100,000 or imprisoned for 5 years or both.

Species* at Risk

The following is the complete list of flora, fauna and aqua biota "Species at Risk"; some of which may be found around Bray Lake and Environs as identified by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). While there are numerous species that can be observed either regularly i.e. Monarch Butterfly or on occasions i.e. Bald Eagle, the species that Bray Lake Stewards can make a difference in species protection on the much maligned Snapping Turtle.

Snapping Turtles recently joined all other Canadian turtles as species at risk - special concern status as designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). "Reason for Designation: Although this species is widespread and still somewhat abundant, its life history (late maturity, great longevity, low recruitment, lack of density-dependent responses), and its dependence on long warm summers to complete incubation successfully make it unusually susceptible to anthropogenic threats. When these threats cause even apparently minor increases in mortality of adults populations are likely to decline as long as these mortality increases persist. There are several such threats and their impacts are additive." As a result, the loss of even a few adult turtles from a population every year is enough to cause that population to decline, and this makes snapping turtle populations very vulnerable

"Special concern" (SC) is defined as a species with a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats that make it sensitive to human activity or natural events.

Snapping Turtles like all other Ontario reptiles and amphibians are protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act and these Ontario acts: the Endangered Species Act, 2007; the Planning Act, under which the Provincial Policy Statement is issued; and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. This means that "No person shall kill, harm, harass, capture or take an individual of a wildlife species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered species or a threatened species. (Section 32[1]).

(Ref Ontario Nature at http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/legal_protection_for_reptiles_and_amphibians.php)

This reptile first emerged as a distinct animal around 90 million years ago. Truly a prehistoric to the throw back to the Late Cretaceous Period. They were one of a few reptiles that survived the effects of the meteorite that struck the earth 65 million years ago that killed off the dinosaurs. To put things into perspective humans evolved a mere short 3.5 million years ago.

Snapping Turtles can take up to 20 years to mature and are expected to live another 75+ years. The mortality of eggs and hatchlings is often 100%. At maturity Snappers can have a shell 2 feet in length and weigh 35 pounds but have been known to exceed 75 pounds. Their shells (carapaces) are often covered in algae and their bodies can have numerous blood suckers attached.

There are actually two parts to the shell of a turtle: the upper portion is called the "carapace" and the bottom half is called the "plastron." Both shells are actually made of many fused bones. The carapace is the fusion of about 50 bones - the ribs and vertebrae. The plastron is the fusion of bones including the clavicles (collar bones), bones between the clavicles, and portions of the ribs. A bony bridge joins the carapace and the plastron along the side of the turtle. (Ref http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/turtles/anatomy.html)

Snapping turtles have evolved the ability to snap because unlike other turtles, they are too large to hide in their own shells when confronted. Snapping is their defense mechanism when threatened out of the water when encountered in the water, they usually slip quietly away from any disturbance. Not a good idea to try and pick them up by the shell (carapaces) as they can stretch their necks back across their own carapace and to their hind feet on either side to bite. Also, their claws are sharp and capable of inflicting significant lacerations.

Snapping turtles are omnivores, consuming both plant and animal matter, and are important aquatic scavengers; but they are also active hunters that prey on anything they can swallow, including many invertebrates, fish, frogs, reptiles (including snakes and smaller turtles), unwary birds, and small mammals.

This species mates from April through November; the female can hold sperm for several seasons, using it as necessary. The peak laying season in late May or June. Females dig a nest in almost any location that they can excavate although sandy soil is preferred. Occasionally they travel over land to find sandy soil in which to lay their eggs, often some distance from the water. That is why on occasions you will see snapping turtles crossing Bray Lake Road off the "Reno" Public Beach and Picnic Area heading toward the sand pit across the road. After digging a hole, the female typically deposits 25 to 80 eggs each year, guiding them into the nest with her hind feet and covering them with sand for incubation and protection. Incubation time is temperature-dependent, ranging from 9 to 18 weeks and the incubation temperature of the eggs determines the gender of the hatchlings.

In Ontario, hunting Snapping Turtles is still legal with a valid recreational fishing licence during open seasons under the conditions: - can only be captured by hand - shell may not be removed from the carcass until immediately before it is prepared for consumption - a Mandatory Questionnaire for Snapping Turtle Harvest must be completed, signed and forwarded to the Ministry of Natural Resources to help support the management of Snapping Turtles in Ontario

Bray Lake Stewardship and the Ontario Multi-Species Turtles at Risk Recovery Team strongly urge the Ontario government to remove the snapping turtle from the list of game species in Ontario but so far has been ignored.

Eating Snapping Turtles like eating shark fin soup or powdered rhinoceros tusk is really an ethnic penchant. Civilized society would abhor such culinary practices and the uninformed would also if they knew that Snapping Turtle meat is unsafe for human consumption. For the reason(s) that due to their long life span and as carrion scavengers, snapping turtles bioaccumulate many toxins from their environment. Would you consider eating vulture meat ---

NO because they also bioaccumualate many toxins as carrion scavengers!

Bray Lake Stewards can play an important role in protecting Snapping Turtles at the micro-level by protecting habitat through private land stewardship and protecting Snapping Turtle nests from foxes, raccoons and skunks.

I have done this with some success after I have noticed that there is a Snapping Turtle nest along my cottage property shoreline:

1.) Leave the nest intact 2.) Pound 4 wooden stakes in the ground say 3' square around the nest 3.) Staple poultry wire around the stakes to form a cage 4.) Bury the edges of the poultry wire 6" to 8" to discourage digging under the cage by the predators 5.) Place leaves or shredded newspaper over the nest inside the cage --- optional dependent on nest location 6.) Staple poultry wire to the top of the wooden posts to totally enclose the top of the cage; then secure the top to the sides 7.) Some people suggest planting marigolds around the perimeter of the cage to discourage the predators because marigolds put off an unpleasant smell and taste that most animals do not like. 8.) Check the nest daily after 2 months because incubation time is temperature-dependent, ranging from 9 to 18 weeks 9.) If the wire mesh openings are too small for the hatchlings to pass through, you will have to assist. If you don't want to assist in the hatchlings release make sure the poultry screening that you use has a 2" opening. 10.) Ideally the hatchlings would be released on a rainy night to better give them a better chance to escape the herring gulls that will be present overhead after the eggs hatch.

By protecting a Snapping Turtle nest you will be doing a great 'stewardship' service by protecting the bio diversity of Bray Lake. This exercise will also be a way to demonstrate 'stewardship' to your children and / or grand children that they will always remember and hopefully carry on the tradition.

Rusty-Patched Bumblebee (Bombus affinis)

The Rusty-Patched Bumblebee is a newly listed endangered species in Canada and the first federally listed bee in North America. This species is on the brink of extinction throughout its large range. Apparently, in Canada, only three individuals have been found in the past 10 years with the only currently known population occurring at Pinery Provincial Park.

While I believed that I have seen this species on my property on Bray Lake Melittologist's at York University have identified the species that I believed to be Rusty Patch as being the Tri-colored bumble bee. Picture following

Like other Bumble Bee species the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee has an annual life cycle. Males and queens are born at the end of the season. Queens, the only females to mate, do so in late summer and feed heavily to store fat. The queen is the only colony member that over-winters. The rest of the colony perishes. In the spring the queen lays her eggs in the nest and forages nectar and pollen to feed the larvae. When the first worker bees mature they take over the job of feeding the larvae. In bumblebees feeding is 'progressive'; meaning, the adults feed the growing larva. This is in contrast to 'mass feeding; in most bee species where enough food for the larva's growth is provided at the time the eggs are laid.

Rusty Patched Bumble Bees mostly nest and overwinter in abandoned rodent burrows, rock crevices or in hollow trees.

Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) and under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).

Both honey bees and bumble bees have exhibited a drastic decline. The cause has not been fully determined although fungal pathogens and lower levels of genetic diversity are suspected at the macro level and pesticide use, habitat loss and increased competition at the micro level.

The most complete guide to Bumble Bee identification in our area can can be found on the Xerces Society website Bumble Bees of North America. Please leave your comment in the post section of this blog as to Bumble Bees that you have identified on Bray Lake.

Small* Mouth Bass Parasites

If you are catching, cleaning and eating small mouth bass or perch after August 1st, you have probably noticed that they have both black spots on the fins, skin, flesh and yellow spots in the flesh. These are parasites!

Well good news they are not hazardous when cooked but they are unappetizing and that's good enough reason to 'catch and release'.

Generally it has been my experience that parasite infestations are somewhat greater for fish caught:
- in shallow water where snails and fish eating birds are most prevalent and
- after August 1st when the lake temperature is at its seasonal highest Read on I will explain!!!

1.) Black spots

Black spot disease is commonly observed on the skin, fins and in the flesh of small mouth bass, perch, sunfish and minnow caught in Bray Lake. The black spots about the size of a sand grain or slightly larger.

This condition is caused by the "larval stage of a parasitic digenetic trematode" that could be of several different species as there are many. The presence of the "black spot" parasite does not affect the growth or the longevity of the infected fish. While the appearance of these black spot parasites may be alarming and unappetizing, there is no harm to human health from consuming these fish as cooking kills the parasite.

The lifecycle of the "black spot"--- "digenetic parasite" is complex because "it lives in three different host animals during it’s life".
- "The adult parasite is found in the kingfisher (Final Host)

- The larval parasite is transferred from the infected fish to the kingfisher during the feeding process. In the kingfisher, the larval stage develops into an adult parasite. (The adult parasites are hermaphrodites having both male and female organs.)
- The adult parasite in the intestine of the kingfisher produces eggs that are passed through the bird by its feces into the water,
- There the eggs mature, hatch, and develop into the miracidium larval stage of the parasite.
- The 'free swimming larval stage' miracidium seek out and infect a snail.

Definitions:
Digenetic Trematodes aka Fluke is a parasitic flatworm that typically has suckers and hooks for attachment to the final host a fish eating birds gullet or stomach

Miracidia aka Ciliated Larva are the free-swimming larva stage of a parasitic trematode / fluke as it passes from the egg to first intermediate host a snail.

Cercariae A free-swimming larval stage in which a parasitic fluke passes from the 1st intermediate host, a snail, to the 2nd or next intermediate host, a Bray Lake Bass or Perch

Encyst Parasite becomes encased in a cyst and show as the "black spot" or "yellow grub" form of the parasite

Metacercariae is the yellow grub that is visible in the flesh. This is the encysted resting or maturing stage of a trematode parasite in the tissues of a fish intermediate host. These encysted yellow grubs may live several years in the fish. If the fish is eaten by a bird host the larval metacercariae will develop into adult parasites, completing the life cycle."

2.) Yellow Grubs:

Yellow grub is closely related to black spot in that it is another digenetic trematode and has a similar life cycle. There are no external signs that bass and perch are infected with the yellow grub, it is only when the fish are filleted that you will notice the yellow or white spots (up to 1/4" long) in the flesh of the infected fish.

This is a youtube video or this one that shows the yellow grub in the flesh of an infected fish. You will notice that once the yellow grub has been dislodged from the flesh it starts to elongate and take the form of a flat worm that starts to slither around.

If only a few grubs are found in a fillet, they can be easily removed with a knife tip. Otherwise, the experts say "infected fish can be consumed with proper cooking". My recommendation is 'catch and release' after August 1st as a conservation measure and avoid the ick factor.

The yellow grub parasite requires several hosts to complete their life cycle. As in the case of black spot "the adult parasite is found in the throats of fish eating birds, usually "great blue herons" (R. Lane and J. Morris, USDA). Eggs are released into the water from the bird during the feeding process when the bird thrusts its beak into the water. The eggs hatch, yielding a 'free swimming larval stage' (miracidia) that will die within several hours if it does not find and infect a snail of the genus Helisoma. After further development within the snail, another 'free swimming larval stage' cercariae leaves the snail and seeks a fish host. The cercariae burrow through the skin of the fish and encyst, where they develop into the metacercariae aka yellow grub. These yellow grubs may live several years in the fish. If the fish is eaten by the bird host the larval metacercariae will develop into adult parasites, completing the life cycle."

For both black spot and yellow grub like many biological phenomenons, prevalence of the parasites may be greater in some years and less in others for a variety of reasons including an abundance of intermediate host snails and fish eating birds. Water temperature also "promotes the transmission of parasites and raise their local abundance." (Poulin)

For a detailed explanation of life cycles and life-history strategies employed by parasitic digenetic trematodes for which there is more than 25,000 species, please refer to this article "The Transmission of Digenetic Trematodes". If this explanation is more than what you want just remember that the parasitic grubs whether "black spot or "yellow grub" live in three different hosts during their life cycle. When we see them on or in Bray Lake fish this is the 2nd stage larval host; only when the fish is eaten by a bird does the larva develop into the adult parasite.

3.) White Grubs:

Usually not observable unless the fish is heavily infected because of their size (1 mm) and location in the fish because they reside around the fish's organs (kidney, liver and heart) and not in the flesh.

The definitive host is primarily the great blue heron (R. Lane and J. Morris) ; the adult grub resides and sexually reproduces in the bird’s intestine. Eggs are released from adult grubs and are passed through the bird by its feces. The larval stages of this "digenetic parasite" species with intermediate hosts is similar to the former species write-ups.

Other possible parasites in Bray Lake Small Mouth Bass and Perch:
1.) Cestodes (tapeworms)
2.) Nematodes (roundworms)
3.) Acanthocephalans (thorny-headed worms)
4.) Crustacea (fish lice and anchor worms)

In summary: Fish parasites are not hazardous to humans as they do not mature to adult parasites in humans. If you eat any of the stages (even raw) they won't hurt you.

If you need more information, the administrator's of braylakestewardship,blogspot.com have a list of some of their references following:

Citations
1. http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/health/vol2issue9.htm
2. http://fishandboat.com/images/pages/qa/fish/worms.htm
3. http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ene/@resources/documents/resource/std01_078669.pdf
4. http://intl-icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/2/304.full
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otu8ghUBqaY
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7okJ6wHYLA
7. http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/fish_parasites.html
8. http://www.ncrac.org/files/technical_bulletins/TB115.pdf
9. http://www.colorado.edu/eeb/facultysites/pieter/documents/Paull%20and%20Johnson%202011%20snails.pdf

More* parasites and nasties in Bray Lake

Unlike fish parasite discussed in the earlier section, Small* Mouth Bass Parasites, that do not pose a risk to humans, there are other parasites that may be present in Bray Lake that can hurt you. They are Giardia and Cryptosporidium?

Are they present in Bray Lake? Well maybe! but to our knowledge no one has has ever tested for them and no one has ever seen them because they are 10 times smaller than the smallest object that can be see with the human eye. Just because Bray Lake appears to be pristine does not mean that they are not present because both micro-organisms may be found in untreated water worldwide.
Will these parasites kill you? Well maybe if your health is compromised! Because these parasites are capable of inflicting damage to humans and animals, they are also known as pathogens.

If you (or your dog) are infected with Giardia parasites the disease is called 'giardiasis' aka 'beaver fever' and with Cryptosporidium parasites the disease is called 'cryptosporidiosis' or just 'crypto'. Both have symptoms of gastrointestinal illness (diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting) headaches, and fever within days after infection and symptoms can last for as long as a month. Some antibiotics are helpful with giardiasis but no effective medication for crypto. With both if left untreated you just have to tough it out and wait up to a month for you immune system to fight off the infection. This is where both infections can be serious for a person with a compromised immune system.

How do the parasites get into the water?

Both the Giardia parasites and Cryptosporidium parasites live and multiply in the intestines of infected humans, pets, farm animals or wildlife (i.e. deer, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, beavers, muskrats, rabbits and squirrels). .Mice are known carriers and incubator reservoirs for infective feces for both parasites aka pathogens. The parasites exit the host body via the feces in the form of a microbial cysts --- that are a dormant state of the parasite. The "cyst" is just another name for the outer shell wall that allows the parasite to survive outside the body for long periods of time and is what makes the parasite very resistant to chlorine-based disinfectants.

The animals infected with Giardia and Cryptosporidium parasites really don’t show any noticeable symptoms of illness other than mild diarrhea. However, the parasites can eventually damage the lining of the intestines of the animals that they infect, disrupting digestion and using up nutrients that the animals need for normal health.

Both Giardia and Crypto are primarily transmitted by swallowing water contaminated with the feces from infected animals or humans. But there are other feces infection routes: - Contact with the feces of infected persons or animals - Hand-to-mouth transfer of the cysts from surfaces or objects that have been infected with contaminated feces (i.e. mouse droppings on kitchen counter or in the utensil drawer) - Swallowing lake water while swimming. - Washing dishes or eating fruit and vegetables washed with contaminated lake water. Fish fillets washed off with contaminated lake water would be OK as cooking would kill the parasites. - Sexual practices --- just use your imagination!

Now not all people exhibit the symptoms of giardiasis' aka 'beaver fever' or 'cryptosporidiosis' aka 'crypto'; these people both adults and children just become carriers who are capable of spreading the parasites.

Other nasties that may be present in untreated water: Coliform bacteria live in soil or vegetation and in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Coliforms can enter Bray Lake water supplies from the direct disposal of waste into streams or lakes, or from runoff from wooded areas and septic tanks into streams or groundwater. In addition, Coliforms can enter an individual house via backflow of water from a contaminated source i.e. water sprinkler systems, dirty carbon filters, or leaking well caps that allow dirt and dead organisms to fall into the water. I would expect that all Bray Lake cottagers have at some time had their drinking water supply tested by the Ontario Ministry of Health Public Health Unit. Test results are reported as "total coliforms" which is the standard by which microbial contamination is measured.

Coliforms by themselves will not kill you; they are the canary in the coal mine because they will be one of the first bacteria present in the water should contamination occur. Therefore, coliforms act as indicators of possible contamination by other pathogenic microbes. If you get a report showing your drinking water has coliform contamination, bells should be going off that your drinking water system is at risk; further testing is required to check for the presence of other more deadly microbes i.e. Hepatitis A and E-coli; enhanced water treatment to start immediately.

Treating Lake Water for Drinking and Cooking: To treat water from a lake or a stream in order to remove "giardia" , “crypto”, "Coliforms", "Hepatitis A" and "E-coli" bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, or treat with chemical disinfectant, such as chlorine or iodine, to kill any infectious bacteria (i.e. Coliforms and E-coli) and viruses (i.e. Hepatitis A) that may be present then use a filter rated for parasitic cyst (i.e. Giardia and Cryptosporidium) removal and chlorine removal from the 1st stage disinfection. It should be noted that no Brita Filters is rated for cyst removal while some Pur filters are.

A properly constructed well (dug or drilled) is an unlikely source of Giardia and Cryptosporidium because the natural filtering action of the soil removes cysts before they enter the groundwater. Improperly constructed wells would be those that allow direct infiltration of surface water or those dug wells too close to the lake (or other natural aquifer) that do not have sufficient natural filtration. There is really no readily available private laboratory that I have been able to source that is capable of testing for parasitic (pathogenic) cysts in water on a routine basis.

In summary, don't take any chances by deliberately ingesting lake water and educate yourselves as to problems i.e. potential parasites present, precautions, preventions and purification practices.

Eating* your way around Bray Lake

All of the information on this section is offered with the assumption that you and others will exercise proper caution and do your own research as to what is acceptable to eat
YOU, and ONLY YOU, are responsible for the use to which you put this material. Take responsibility for your own actions.

Fiddleheads "Fiddleheads" refers to the unfurling young sprouts of ferns. Many species of ferns are edible as fiddleheads; my choice are the Ostrich Ferns and Lady Ferns. They are edible only in their early growth phase first thing in the spring and always cooked or steamed to be safe.

Cattails ( Typha latiforia ) typically grows in the back water areas of Bray Lake. in spring the roots and stems are edible, whether cooked or raw.

Cattails are not bulrushes. They do not have the same characteristics; nor do they look alike. You can easily recognize a cattail stand because cattails have distinctive seedheads that resemble tall, brown corn dogs atop sturdy stems reaching up to 8 feet in height. While Bulrush (alt. sp. Bullrush) are perennial grass-like plants and can grow to 10 feet tall in shallow water or in moist soils

Bulrush

Hemlock tree greens can also be brewed into a delicious tea that has a high vitamin C content. The Hemlock evergreen tree that we have around Bray Lake is not to be confused with the poisonous parsley-like weed of the same name found in Europe that apparently killed Socrates.

(c) Common Juniper

Juniper tea using both the greens and the berries have long been widely regarded in folk medicine as being a potent diuretic. The Common Juniper that we see around Bray Lake has purple, blue, violet, or brownish fruits that are typically harvested in early autumn. Juniper fruits are high in vitamin C and are added as flavoring agent for beef and pork dishes, as well as sauerkraut.

(d) (e) Pine and Balsam Fir

Although it is classified as a mushroom, Chaga doesn’t look like one. It looks more like a tumor on the tree with the appearance of lumpy charcoal. Around Bray Lake it is most commonly found on white birch and yellow birch trees. Unlike conventional mushrooms that have gilles, the Chaga mushroom has pores. Like a conventional mushroom it goes through a flowering stage where it spores. These spores settle in wounds of trees and take root. From these roots over a period of years grows a black, charred looking knarled growth (conk) that is quite hard on the outside. The outside even has a charred smell to it, though it is not burned. The inside is brownish yellowish corky material with cream coloured veins.

While the Chaga mushrooms is non toxic there is no evidence that ingesting any form of Chaga is beneficial. What is beneficial is a tea brewed from the inner pulp that has a high concentration of betulinic acid that has numerous medicinal qualities in the fight against cancer and other diseases.

To learn more about the Chaga mushroom medicinal qualities and tea preparation check out

http://www.naturalnews.com/036974_chaga_mushroom_anti-cancer_tonic.html#ixzz2QAXJHNzJ

http://www.waysofthewildinstitute.com/2012/03/chaga-medicine-healer/

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Lots more edible plants around Bray Lake and environs. We would like to hear about and report your experiences in preparing and eating naturally. Please drop us an e-mail at braylakestewardship@gmail.com

The female Blue Wing Teal is mottled brown overall with dull blue forewing patch bordered by faint white stripe and a green bar at the back edge of wing that is duller and darker than the male’s

The Blue Wing Teal is a dabbing duck is a type of shallow water duck that feeds primarily along the surface of the water or by tipping headfirst into the water to graze on aquatic plants and vegetation. They typically nest along the shore line in grass or marsh vegetation. Females lay 6 to 14 eggs, which take around 30 days to hatch. Young reach the fledgling stage at about 24 days and are independent after 40 days.

Common Tern

June 12, 2013 a common tern was sighted on the south end of BL. Quite different that the Herring Gulls that we are used to seeing cruising overhead along the shoreline.

Flies with head down. Black head. The tail is deeply forked, with elongated outer tail feathers. The outer edges of the tail feathers are dark grey, and the upper tail coverts are white. The bill is orange-red with a black tip and the legs are red

Common Merganser

Two broods of mergansers are in the works. Both nests are in tree mounted nesting boxes one on the south end of Bray Lake and the other on the west side of Bear Island. I am reluctant to be more exact as to location because one family is suspected in vandalizing nesting boxes.

I'll have pictures of both broods when they are hatched and on the water.

Snapping Turtles

Snapping Turtles are an endangered species and June is the nesting time for Snapping Turtles.

The female digs a shallow bowl-shaped nest in a well-drained, sunny location. Over a period of several hours, she lays approximately 20 to 40 creamy white, ping-pong ball-sized eggs. After covering the eggs, the female returns to the water, leaving the eggs and hatchlings to fend for themselves. Snapping turtle nests are often preyed upon by raccoons, skunks, and crows; so, if you have a nest along your shore line it is important to protect it with 2" poultry wire. Use 2" poultry wire so that the hatchlings are not captive and can migrate to the water unencumbered.

Like alligators Snapping Turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination. Eggs maintained at 68°F produce only females; eggs maintained at 70-72°F produce both male and female turtles; and those incubated at 73-75°F produce only males.

Seasonal high water levels have devastated some species nesting opportunities.

Heavy rains in late May resulted in high water levels at least 10" above seasonal normal. A Canadian Geese nest in the south end bulrushes and a loon nest were flooded out; It would appear that both nesting opportunities have been lost this year. These same high water levels were responsible for more than a few docks floating out of location. OPG have made some lake level adjustments but lake levels as of mid June 2013 continued to be high.

By July 1st. Bray Lake water levels had normalized.

- a Bald Eagle was observed on the lake the 2nd week of August

- 3 loon chicks were hatched in each of the defined nesting territories on the north side of BL.

- water levels were too high in June for nesting at the historical sites on the south end of BL and they did not take to the nesting platform that has been used 3 times in the last 5 years.

- the usual suspects (the "carpetbaggers") destroyed another nesting box behind the island; 2 others less visable from the water were left untouched; one was used by wood duck and there was a successful with a 7 chick hatch

- shots have been heard on the south end of Bear Island; "carpetbaggers" again harassing or worse killing the wild life

- bank beaver are relatively common behind the island

- Lots of Canada Geese chicks hatched in May; while a joy to watch they can sure make a mess in short order. Reminder, it is illegal to harm Canada Geese out of season.

- Hearing Gulls nested in two locations on the route to the dam

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Snags are an essential element of Stewardship

Stewardship means to take good care of something. Private land *stewardship refers to taking good care of the land while we use it. This does not mean absolute preservation nor does it leave room for unbridled development. Rather it means to have consideration for the land and use it wisely. Snags are essential to the ecology of Bray Lake and environs. As responsible Stewards we must resist the urge to tidy up the wilder sections of our respective properties. The dead or dying trees aka Snags standing or fallen should be left where they are as long as they pose no danger, They provide invaluable nesting sites, shelter, and hiding places for many birds and animals. As they decompose, fallen trees become a community providing shelter to mammals and essential nutrients to the forest soil for other plants, bacteria, fungus and insects i.e. carpenter ants (a favorite of Pileated Woodpeckers) to thrive. In this way Snags on your property make a visible statement that you have made a conscious commitment to look after your land by developing it with both an understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural features of your property. This is one of the best ways to provide an example and statement to others "to ensure that the unique values of your property at the micro level and Bray Lake and environs at the macro level remain for future generations".

Bray Lake Flora, Fauna and Aqua Biota

*Bray Lake Flora Fauna and Aqua Biota Site Index:

Please contact administrator ( braylakestewardship@gmail.com ) to add other tree species to this list or add comments following.

Mammal* sightings of significance 2012

Courtesy of Wikipedia Algonquin Provincial Park

Any and all of the following mammals may be present around Bray lake and environs:

I have done this with some success after I have noticed that there is a Snapping Turtle nest along my cottage property shoreline:

Tricoloured

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Snags are an essential element of Stewardship

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