by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge)

WHEN AUTUMN LEAVES START TO FALL
Checking Up On Fungi, Moths, Squirrels, Slugs, and Owls

**THAT WHITE STUFF ON MAPLE LEAVES IN THE FALL.** *(JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

THAT WHITE STUFF ON THE MAPLE LEAVES … As autumn strolls in, Stanley Park changes. The maple leaves are turning beautiful colours, and their leaves inundate Stanley Park Drive and the trails. Lately, I have noticed a white covering on the maple leaves that have not fallen.

This is a type of powdery fungus called phyllactinia guttata. This disease flourishes in warm humidity, is not dangerous to the trees and can, unfortunately, survive the winter months.

MOTH COUNT DOWN … The looper moths are far fewer in number this year. The Stanley Park Ecology Society hopes the cycle is almost over.

**A SHY COYOTE PEEKS THROUGH THE FOLIAGE**. *(JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

SHY COYOTES … People have asked about the number of coyotes in Stanley Park. The Stanley Park Ecology Society advised me that there is one family of about five members in the park. There have been no sightings of coyotes on the seawall, just on some of the inner trails, and in all sightings the coyotes have not been close and have disappeared into the underbrush.

That is consistent with my encounters with coyotes. They are very shy.

THE OWLS AMONG US … Recently, I was lucky enough to spot a pair of barred owls on a park trail. They were not at all interested in being photographed, flying from tree to tree as they evaded me, finally flying up Stanley Park Drive, their famous call echoing, “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you!”

**A BQRRED OWL AT BEAVER LAKE. (***JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

A Barred Owl at Beaver Lake was happy to pose. Washington State has declared the Barred Owl as invasive, but this is not the case in British Columbia.

The Stanley Park Ecology Society shared this information. “Great Horned Owls are occasionally seen or heard in the Park, and the Barred Owls are reportedly wary of them as Great Horned Owls can predate on Barred Owls. However, Barred Owls remain the predominant species around Vancouver because they are ecological generalists found in both open and wooded areas, while Great Horned Owls prefer forests, wetlands and deserts that have more open spaces (for example, they are common around golf courses).”

A few days later, on the same trail, I spotted a beautiful, immature Cooper’s hawk.

**A DOUGLAS SQUIRREL HARVESTING ITS WINTER STASH.** *(JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

SQUIRRELS READYING FOR WINTER … The small Douglas’ Squirrels are filling their winter pantries. The ones I saw were busy collecting the tumbling cones of coniferous trees. They eat the seeds and discard the rest of the cone. They also eat acorns, berries, mushrooms and sometimes bird eggs.

As I watched their frenetic cone collection, I remembered the phrase, squirrelling away.

They are easily heard in the park as they vigorously protect their territories with a loud, scolding voice.

Douglas’ Squirrels can be spotted on the many park trails, but are easy to see around Lost Lagoon’s concrete bridge or Beaver Lake’s wooden bridge. Some people mistake them for chipmunks. They, unlike the gray squirrels, are indigenous to the park.

There are flying squirrels in the park but I have not been lucky enough to see one.

**A BANANA SLUG AND A BLACK SLUG SHARING A MEAL**. *(JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

SPECIES SLUGGING IT OUT … Slugs have been plentiful in the park for the last few months, both the native banana slugs and the invasive black slugs. The Stanley Park Ecology Society advises that the black slugs “out-compete the banana slugs as they can reproduce much faster, laying five times as many eggs. The impact is not well documented, and their niche is not exactly the same, but they share some food sources.”

Both kinds of slugs are plentiful and visible on the park trails. The black slugs are also known as red slugs or chocolate slugs as they come in a variety of colours. They have a fringe on their feet that is red with black stripes.

Banana slugs are one of the largest slugs in the world and sport 27,000 teeth on a tongue. They like BC’s temperate coastal rainforests. Their slime, which helps them glide, has a mouth-numbing antiseptic. A banana slug will lay about 20 to 30 eggs resembling small chicken eggs, which winter in the ground and hatch in the spring.

**A COOPER'S HAWK IS READY FOR ITS WINTER VACATION IN MEXICO.** *(JACQUI BIRCHALL PHOTO)*

TIME TO HEAD SOUTH (AND NORTH) … Many of the park birds are about to migrate for the winter, to be replaced by birds who come to the park because the winters are warmer than the tundra or interior where they summer.

From Second Beach to the Lions Gate Bridge, look for Surf Scoters, Barrow’s Goldeneyes and Bufflehead. The flocks of Surf Scoters can be huge.

Look for Northern Shovelers, American Wigeon, American Coots, Gadwalls and Canvasbacks on Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake. In the trails, look for the Varied Thrush and the Fox Sparrow.

IN AN EMERGENCY … Falling branches can be a risk on the Park Trails. One morning, I heard a loud crack and then observed a heavy branch hurtling down. The falling branch was off-trail, but the speed of the fall caused me to realize that I would have little chance of evading a falling branch and the ensuing injuries.

I was able to engage a group of VPD members in Stanley Park and ask the question, if I can call 911 but am too injured to give my location, can the 911 operator determine my location?

Well, yes and no. The tower pings, giving one’s location, are not very accurate in the park. One’s phone could bounce off a tower across the water, one officer advised.

Another of the VPD members had recently rescued a person in the park who was not able to identify their position. That officer’s experience provided great information.

I was told, “do not hang up!” The emergency responders will have their sirens on and 911 operators will also check the pings. The 911 operator can advise the responders when their sirens are heard on the 911 call, thus allowing the caller to be found.

**READY FOR A RIDE ON THE STANLEY PARK GHOST TRAIN?**

PARTING NOTES …

At the recent Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Stanley Park, The Stanley Park Ecology Society benefited from a 50/50 draw. Patrons purchased tickets from SPES staff and volunteers. SPES raised almost $5,000! I volunteered and it was fun. Come and help out next year!
The Stanley Park Ghost Train will be operating from October 10 to the 31. Closed on October 14. All details are here.
There is a new grassroots organization in town called Save Our Park Board. To get involved and learn more, check here.