April 18 – Rusty Blackbirds, two flocks on the Bridgenorth Trail

April 19 – Beaver in pond on Douro 8th Line. Spring Peepers, Wood Frogs, Leopard Frogs, and Chorus Frogs calling in the south of the county.

April 20 – A small flock of Cedar Waxwings on Hannah Rd south of Bailieboro

April 21 – Leading the PFN Sunday morning outing. Eleven participants saw 65 species of birds. The route covered the marsh on University Rd, Drummond Line, a flooded field and cattail marsh on Keene Rd south of Assumption, Cty Rd 2, Nicholson Rd, unsuccessful attempt to find the Snowy Egret in Campbellcroft, Garden Hill, Zion Line from South Monaghan to the west boundary of the county and back to Peterborough via Morton Line. Bird sightings included Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Wild Turkey, Virginia Rail, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Snipe, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Caspian Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, American Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

On the way to and from the meeting area I also saw Double-crested Cormorants (eight over Lakefield Park), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Loon, Common Goldeneye, Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane (heard from Lakefield Marsh), Sharp-shinned Hawk (on the ground with wings spread and a grackle in its talons), Spotted Sandpiper (flying over the river south of Lakefield), Ruffed Grouse, and Field Sparrow.

April 24 – Pine Warbler and Purple Finch in Lakefield Park.

April 25 – My fourth butterfly species for the year, a Grey Comma on the TCT between Cameron Line and Cty Rd 38. By this date last year I had recorded my fifteenth species. Also noted Marsh Marigold and Bloodroot in bloom along the trail.

April 26 – Palm Warbler in Lakefield Park, Eastern Towhee and Broad-winged Hawk on Hubble Rd, and an American Bittern walking across Anderson Rd near Round Lake.

Categories: Sightings

Drew Monkman

I am a retired teacher, naturalist and writer with a love for all aspects of the natural world, especially as they relate to seasonal change.