Morning at the Marsh Rouge Marsh, Lake Ontario

An Early Morning Visit

Early Saturday morning on the Easter long weekend, I visited one of my semi-regular locations for bird photography, the Rouge Marsh. The marsh is the largest wetland and marsh in Toronto and is home to the Rouge Marsh trail, complete with an observation deck and connection to Rouge Beach and Lake Ontario.

Rouge National Urban Park

Map of the coverage of Rouge National Urban Park (courtesy of Parks Canada Now), from the Oak Ridges Moraine in the north and south to Lake Ontario.

The marsh is formed just before the Rouge River meets Lake Ontario and is home to a variety of birds and other wildlife. This park is also part of the Rouge National Urban Park (above) the largest urban park in Canada. (Maps courtesy of Google Maps and Parks Canada Now)

Cottage Country in the City?

The backyards of several homes line part of the eastern perimeter of the marsh, giving the area almost a cottage feel, complete with docks, canoes and kayaks dotting the backyard shoreline. When you’re in the park, it’s hard to believe that a local bus line is a short walk away, and a major highway a short drive away.

Well, it’s hard to imagine until the train goes by. Lol

The trail also offers a few spots where you can drop your personal canoe or kayak into the water and go for a paddle. However, despite the Rouge River being one of the - if not the - cleanest river left in Greater Toronto Area, I find myself very disappointed by the amount of garbage - primarily plastic in nature - that floats near the shore or lays trapped in the reeds.

It didn’t hit me until afterwards, but these two canoes, one bright yellow and the other sky blue, are the national colors of Ukraine. And the reflection, first clearly defined and then dissolving into faded, shapeless colors before disappearing completely, is very symbolic of the horrific situation in that country.

But even with passenger trains roaring past, the marsh is a pretty tranquil location. On this spring morning, the calls of many red-winged blackbirds surrounded me. The males were “strutting their stuff,” singing from the trees and the spent stalks of last year‘s reeds.

Spring time is hook-up time!

Across the marsh, a lone Great Blue Heron stands watch, perching on a fallen, partially submerged tree.

In the background you can see old wooden steps leading down to the water. Yes, this is someone’s backyard in the city. Not too shabby, as long as you can deal with the train.

Cormorants dive for breakfast while, near the shore a pair of wood ducks paddle quickly by.

The heron is normally quite shy. Fortunately, I was far enough away that I did not disturb him at all. Thank goodness for my long zoom lens!

Honk! Honk!

I could hear the honking of the Canada geese before I saw them; there are doubtlessly many nests being prepared in the reeds on the far side of the marsh.

A Canada goose makes others aware that this is HIS log, and no one else need drop by.

As I walked along the trail that borders the marsh, and out onto the observation deck, another red-winged black bird landed on the rail nearby, professing his undying love for some nearby (and well-hidden) feathered beauty.

I followed the trail a little further, making my way to the beach, passing a dedicated fisherman (in shorts, no less) who was likely staking his spot as the ice was melting off the river a few weeks ago. I had seen swans on at the beach before and was hoping to be as fortunate again.

Indeed, I was treated to the honking of several large swans - 8 or more by my count. Some were around a sandbar further away, but there was an amorous couple very close to me. I was able to get several shots before I left them on their own.

There is something so elegant about a swan, in flight or at rest…or in love.

Of Love and Loss

This is a beautiful part of the Rouge Park system and I love visiting the marsh. It’s less than 30 minutes from home, by car. The options for landscape photography are few, but for aquatic and marsh birds, it can’t be beat. I think I captured several great images of the local birds at the marsh, many of which I have shared here.

And while they are beautiful animals, perhaps the two most dramatic images I made were of a small section of the park that has been - for a reason unknown to me - clear cut of trees and shrubs. Below are two photos where someone spoke for the trees.

It saddened me to see this pointless destruction. I couldn’t help but think that the hours spent clearing this area, would have been better spent cleaning up all the garbage visible in the reeds on the shoreline of the park.

Created By

Jim Babbage

Appreciate

Credits:

With the exception of the maps (credited in line), all other images created by and are the property of Jim Babbage.