O Cerulean, Where Art Thou?: Frontenac's Bounty Part III: The Kaleidoscope

The Kaleidoscope

To be honest, several years ago I had no idea what a Cerulean Warbler was and I certainly didn't have an inkling to ever find out. I happened to take a course called "Natural History of Ontario" at Carleton. It was an elective. A friend had taken this course and thought I'd get something out of it; if only for the fact that it was taught by a mystical, humorous, freak-of-nature-in-a-good-way professor named Michael Runtz. So, I took the course and I remember seeing this man literally tripping into the room with a box in hand; within it, study skins, just barely able to brace the weight of what seemed like endless fur and claws protruding from every corner. Who the heck was this guy? He'd already cracked the entire room up by simply walking into it. His glasses - askew, brow - damp, hair - frizzled, smile - like that of a child, enjoyment - obvious. Throughout the next few months I learned all about the flora and fauna of ON and took great pleasure in taking a course taught by Michael Runtz. I remember going home to my apartment one night and wondering if Michael taught other courses. I checked Carleton Central - the online registration/personal portal for students. I saw that he taught a course called Ornithology Taxonomy. It was a 4th year Biology course and I was a second-year Environmental Studies/Geography major. I figured it was a total shot in the dark, but decided to email Michael for personal permission to override the prerequisites and take his course. In the email I mentioned my grade for the Natural History of ON course and I also mentioned that I promised to work harder than any other student in the Ornithology Taxonomy course in order to bridge the knowledge gap that I would face upon entering a 4th year Bio course coming from where I was at with my studies. At the time, Michael knew me as a student number, not as a person, but for whatever reason, he emailed me back, granting me permission to enter the course. I remember this being a big deal for me at the time. I especially liked the image of being a serious underdog in a course chalk-full of students used to a higher level of study.

I recall being taken aback the first day I entered the Ornithology lab. There were dead birds (study skins) everywhere - neatly organized by similar-looking type. Our class handout had, within it, words that I couldn't even pronounce. I certainly was in over my head. I remember going home that evening and locking myself in my apartment and slowly mouthing intimidating words like "Podicipediformes." I was butchering them pretty badly at first but then I slowly started to find my footing. Within days, my apartment was littered with course outline papers and PDF's of Bird Topography, etc. All my other courses began to fall by the wayside. I couldn't help it, I was falling madly in love with all these beautiful words and beautiful winged animals. I began to work well beyond the 4 hour lab session and Michael would, on occasion, see me off as he had to head home for the evening. I would sit there in the lab for up to 6 hours, completely consumed by this new world; enveloped in the sheer gorgeousness of it all. I fell for sparrows the hardest. They were all similar-looking and I had my gauge set on out-working and out-ID'ing all of my classmates so I gravitated to sparrows. For whatever reason, I always enjoy pitting myself AGAINST.

Michael began to give me little ID challenges via photos he had taken. He also dropped a copy of Pyle's in front of me one day and handed me a first-year female Summer Tanager which had recently been brought into the lab."Tuh, tuh.....um, I think this is a tuh, tan...tanager?" Michael simply put a hand on my shoulder, smiled, and then walked away. I loved stuff like that - smooth leadership - being given the chance to fight for the answer. I remember developing this insatiable hunger for details, especially minor differences between similar-looking species...I couldn't get enough and I couldn't get enough of the sense of challenge. Michael would constantly iron-out my rougher points such as the time I emailed him, describing something about an "Eastern Screech-owl." His reply to my email was simply a correction of what I'd written: "Jon, don't you mean Eastern Screech-Owl? Remember the capitalization on the O."

A few years and many field outings later, I have to thank Michael Runtz for his guidance and for elevating my standards well beyond what I had previously thought I was capable of.

Frontenac's Bounty Part III

Fig 1: A neat-looking fly within the family Asilidae, or, Robber Flies. Prince Edward County, ON - June 28, 2013

Fig 2: Wow - this surely is the ultimate Wolf Spider: Tigrosa aspersa, or, the Tiger Wolf Spider. This formidable female is currently on a diet which consists of store-bought crickets. Central Frontenac, ON - June 25, 2013

Fig 3: The perils of road-side living: A freshly-road-killed Milksnake. Lanark County, ON -

July 01, 2013

Fig 4: These large lined June Beetles (Polyphylla variolosa) were found flying around the night-lights at the Travellodge in Trenton, ON. This species is the northernmost of the two northeastern species within the genus. Northumberland County, ON - June 29, 2013

Fig 5: A fascinating and brightly-colored Deer Fly within the family Tabanidae. To the exact species, I do not know. Leeds & Grenville County, ON - June 30, 2013

Fig 6: Behold, the ever-striking male Ebony Jewelwing! This male was caught while it was billowing over and under some cattail reeds. Hastings County, ON - June 22, 2013

Fig 7: An ultra-photogenic juvenile Snapping Turtle. Frontenac County, ON - June 27, 2013

Fig 8: The timeless, classic beauty of a White Admiral. Prince Edward County, ON - June 28, 2013

Fig 9: One...big...Northern Leopard Frog! I don't think I've ever seen one so well-fed. Frontenac County, ON - June 27, 2013

Fig 10: Canada Day Special: A juvenile Barred Owl that was found by the ever-shrewd Erika Hentsch. What a treat it was to see this little gem. Lanark County, ON - July 01, 2013

Fig 11: A classic Lanark County Slab! A friend caught this 9.25" bull Pumpkinseed. As he put it, it was "an honorable mention" in Lanark County's local newspapers' outdoors column. Lanark County, ON - July 01, 2013

Fig 12: Sand like no other. Sandbanks Provincial Park, ON - June 28, 2013

Fig 13: "The Lush Roadsides of Leeds & Grenville County, ON" - June 30, 2013

Fig 14: The northern part of southern ON - Schomberg, ON - June 29, 2013

Fig 15: Lovely Prince Edward County, ON - June 28, 2013

Fig 16: A man-child in his element. Lanark County, ON - July 01, 2013

Fig 17: The distinct charm of the Frontenac area really works itself into ones conscience. I will certainly miss early-morning views such as this one. Leeds & Grenville County, ON - June 30, 2013