Deer Tales

Karen Allin of Mississauga not only walks with these animals, she talks to them, too!

I walk through the Rattray Marsh Conservation Area in Mississauga on a daily basis. The marsh is partially bordered by Lake Ontario and Jack Darling Park, and is part of both the Waterfront Trail and the Trans Canada Trail. It is a little “gem of nature” in the middle of the city.

The marsh is maintained by Credit Valley Conservation. The main trail is a two-kilometre loop, with a couple of side trails. Although “marsh” is in its name, parts of the trail are a wooden boardwalk and other parts are dirt pathways. In spring it can be muddy, so don’t wear your brand new white running shoes! The trails aren’t maintained in winter and can be icy, but there are enough people who walk through the area, so paths are created.

In spring and fall, the marsh is a great spot to see migratory birds, and in summer some of the many birds you may see include blue herons, great egrets, turkey vultures and the Cooper’s hawk, as well as Baltimore orioles, wood ducks and belted kingfishers. The barred owl, great horned owl, hairy woodpecker and downy woodpecker are year-round residents. Occasionally, I see other critters such as minks, muskrats, snapping turtles and coyotes. My favourite animals to photograph, however, are deer.