About 20 people braved very cool temperatures and strong winds Sunday morning to take part in the weekly Peterborough Field Naturalists’ Sunday Morning Bird Walk. Here are a few of the highlights:
Stop 1: Centre Line of Smith (Cty Rd 24) @ 5th Line – Northern Waterthrush (3), Common Loon (flyover), Virginia Rail (heard and seen; attracted by broadcast of call)
Virginia Rail – Karl Egressy
Stop 2: Miller Creek Conservation Area – Sandhill Crane (heard only), American Bittern (3 birds seen flying from observation tower)
Stop 3: Brumwell Street end of Bridgenorth Trail – White-throated Sparrows (close-up views when one bird came in close in response to broadcast of its song), Nashville Warbler, Wood Duck (flyover)
Stop 4: Woodland Drive at Trent University north parking lot – Osprey (on nesting platform), Brown Thrasher, Tree Swallows (15), numerous wildflowers almost in bloom including Trout Lily, White Trillium, May Apple, Hepatica (in bloom), Chorus Frogs calling loudly at corner of Woodland and County Road 29. Note: This is a consistently good location to hear this species.
Brown Thrasher – Ken Thomas WM
Addendum: ” When I returned home on Sunday from the PFN walk, where I park my car was a Brown Thrasher hopping around on the ground and nearby were a couple of rabbits copulating. Spring must be here! What a nasty weather morning that was.” – Bill Snowden, Ennismore
