And while Parkdale may be home to some of the last standing mature elms in Toronto, I’d be lying if I said “stomping (and soaring) ground for many furred (and feathered) animals” was the first thing that comes to mind when I think of this quickly gentrifying neighbourood.
But urban wildlife plays an important part of our urban forests, and serve as a constant reminder that no matter how grey our cities get, we can never leave nature behind. As I often say, it’s better to have animals up in our trees, snacking on fruit, and running through our backyards than it is to have them under our decks, in our walls and eating from our garbage bins. Not a fan of those “annoying animals”? Give them some habitat!
These photographs captured in an ostensibly urban space offer scenes that - with little more than a shallow depth of field - could be mistaken for ones captured at my cottage. But this isn’t the first time we’ve been sent spectacular shots from backyards we’ve helped plant in – last year we got images of deer and foxes hanging out (though I should point out, not together).
This got me wondering: what other wildlife can be seen running through the city? As your shrubs and trees start to leaf out and your gardens start to bloom, snap a few photos of the butterflies, songbirds and anyone else who passes by. Post them to our facebook wall and show us just how wild your neighbourhood is!
