Woodpecker and Salmon at Morningside Park, and Scenes of Transition from Autumn to Winter at Aga Khan Park

By MALIK MERCHANT
Publisher/Editor  Simergphotos, Barakah and Simerg

As October had been a warm month, there was only limited Salmon activity in the rivers and creeks of Toronto. A Scarborough resident I met at the creek in Morningside Park told me the so-called “Salmon Run”, when the fish swim upstream to spawn, had been the lowest in years and suggested I return at the end of October when the weather cooled down. I had taken some rare photos and videos of salmon jumping over a dam at Etienne Brulé Park, at the other end of Toronto, and posted them in Esmail Thawerbhai’s excellent translation and explanation of the Ismaili Ginan (hymn) Oonchaare Kot Bahoo Vech-na. This was earlier in October but I had to spend many hours patiently waiting by the shores of the Humber River. I had also seen a few salmon on Don River at Don Trail East. It was so exciting and satisfying to watch them. In shallow waters, the large salmon looked like Orcas, with their fins jutting just above the water surface. Then, yes, at the end of October I started seeing more salmon activity in Morningside Park’s Highland Creek. When I returned on November 5th, descending carefully into the creek at a spot by one of many rapids along a 300 metre stretch, there were seven of them swimming metres away from me. I took dozens of photos and videos. I was awed by this natural phenomenon, watching large salmon swim in front of me, and I will treasure the memories of that day. I returned there ten days later on November 15th, and there was not one salmon in sight.  However, there was more visibility in the forest; the trees had shed most of their leaves. And I saw wildlife!

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VIDEO: SALMON RUN

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I heard “knock, knock, knock” above and around me. It was the woodpecker. What an amazing bird — boring holes in tree trunks with its beak to build nests. It’s a very sensitive bird, and even a slight movement will scare it away. I was lucky with the photos. Many black squirrels crossed my path, but I saw a brownish white squirrel before me that was munching on plant materials that lay on the ground. It was looking at me, teasing me as if to tell me, “you don’t have food on your hands like I do.”  Fair observation! There was a clementine in my camera bag, but food does not interest me when I have nature on my mind.  Although I am a foodie, not even a chai, kabab or samosa will detract me in such situations.

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I had thoroughly enjoyed my hour’s outing, and as I started walking back to my car, light snow flakes fell on my face. The camera was able to capture them. Bench 5 had an exercise board by it; and one that said, “Hip Abduction.” 

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On the highway, the sun had come out and I could not return home without my customary pilgrimage to Aga Khan Park. It had been a few days since I had visited the grounds. What a transformation; within a matter of days, the leaves had lost most of the brilliant red and orange foliage, photographs of which were posted recently and viewed by readers around the world. The crystalline dome of the Ismaili Jamatkhana became more visible. Of the dozens of trees lined up close to Ismaili Jamatkhana dome, just underneath the Ismaili Centre Terrace, only one odd tree was coloured orange.

Canada is truly a country with four seasons, and it is absolutely a delight to witness the transition from one season to the next, right in front of your eyes. Enjoy the photos!

Transformation at Aga Khan Park

The Aga Khan Park on November 5, 2021…..

…..and the Aga Khan Park on November 15, 2021

Date posted: November 16, 2021.

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