Toronto’s ravines are full of after-dark life, and this month, one guided field trip is offering a rare chance to slow down and look for it. On June 20, Field Trips: Turtles at Twilight will take visitors on a gentle sunset stroll through the Don Valley at Evergreen Brick Works to get a closer look at baby turtles as they begin their nesting season (a seasonal period when female turtles travel over land to search for places to lay their eggs!).
As evening settles over the former quarry site, participants will learn all about turtles, their behaviour and ecology from researcher Reta Meng, all while tuning in to the sounds of the wetland after dark, from calling frogs to nocturnal birds moving through the ravine.
There are a few things to know before heading out. The event runs rain or shine. Accessibility-wise, the site and park area are accessible for most people, but the old brick factory grounds can include bumps and pebbles. The buildings will be closed for the evening, which means the washrooms won’t be available. The Evergreen shuttle also stops running after 7 p.m., although paid parking remains available on site during the event.
Field Trips: Turtles at Twilight takes place at Evergreen Brick Works on Saturday, June 20, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets currently appear to be sold out, but a waitlist is available! Given the charm of a twilight turtle walk in the middle of Toronto, it’s probably worth adding your name sooner rather than later.
And if you can’t make this event, June is the perfect month to pay attention to turtles in Toronto. Nesting season can begin as early as May and last into mid-July, with June often bringing more turtle movement as females travel over land in search of dry, sunny places to lay eggs. That means you might spot them along shorelines, beaches and road shoulders over the next few weeks. And yes, they’re cute, but if you do spot a nesting turtle, the best thing to do is to keep your distance and just let her finish nesting undisturbed.
