Another Ford majority government would be disastrous for environmental protection Peterborough Examiner – May 13, 2022 – by Drew Monkman On June 2 as we head to the polls, many voters will have the skyrocketing cost of living top of mind. The cost of everything from food to housing is approaching crisis proportions. Read more…
Two apps make finding and identifying birds simpler and more enjoyable Peterborough Examiner – May 6, 2022 – by Drew Monkman I’ve been a birder nearly all my life. For nearly all of this time, my equipment was limited to binoculars, field guides, and a spotting scope. However, beyond word of mouth and Read more…
Trees are important in fighting climate change. You can register for a free tree for your city yard. Peterborough Examiner – April 22, 2022 – by Drew Monkman As we celebrate another Earth Day, I’d like to turn my attention this week to trees and what you and your family can do to Read more…
On February 7, we had a juvenile Northern Goshawk in our backyard. My wife saw it first, and we watched totally mesmerized. It appeared to have just killed a squirrel. I’m a birdwatcher and I get a lot of different bird species. We have feeders set up. I’m sure I Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – February 18, 2022 – by Drew Monkman It’s no exaggeration to say that this winter has been brutally cold. On January 29, the mercury plummeted to -34 C! While we enjoy the luxury of our cozy, heated homes, plants and animals are on their own. Surviving this kind Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – February 4, 2022 – by Drew Monkman A look at how amphibians, reptiles, and fish endure winter Whenever I’m out walking in the woods in winter, I often think of the many strategies used by animals and plants to survive this punishing season. Seen or unseen, awake or dormant, life Read more…
At our cottage on Crowe Lake, we’ve been watching our annual convention of Trumpeter Swans. After I took this video there was quite the flurry of activity. We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy this part of nature. Maxine Prentice, Peterborough Update from Maxine: The swans return each Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – February 4, 2022 – by Drew Monkman Evolution has conferred birds and mammals with intriguing adaptations. One of my most frequent bird sightings this winter might surprise you. It’s the American robin. People often ask me, “How in the world are robins able to withstand the cold?” As it turns Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – January 14, 2022 – by Drew Monkman A look at data from eBird and the results of the Petroglyphs Christmas Bird Count Peterborough has one of the most active birding communities in all of Canada. This is borne out in many ways: the number of people submitting checklists to eBird, Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – January 7, 2022 – by Drew Monkman A record 71 species tallied on the Peterborough Christmas Bird Count As the full moon cast long shadows through a woodlot on the outskirts of Bridgenorth, the mysterious “whooo…whoo-hoo…who-who” song of a great horned owl echoed through the trees. Almost immediately, a Read more…
We live at the 12th Line and Northey’s Road in Selwyn. This Red-bellied Woodpecker has been here for the past week. Not the best picture (taken December 3). Paul Vigneux I had a productive day (December 6) at the Peterborough Airport. Most of these birds were photographed along Moncrief Line. Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – December 17, 2021 – by Drew Monkman With bird populations in serious decline, a Peterborough group is stepping up Birds are all around us. They cheer us up during bleak winter days and remind us of spring’s return. Unfortunately, however, they are also in serious trouble. There are three billion Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – December 10, 2021 – by Drew Monkman The solstice reminds us why we have seasons One of the greatest pleasures to be derived from the regular observation of the natural world is to witness the passage of time as one season slowly slips into the next. Like a celestial clock, Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – December 3, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Looking ahead to what nature has in store this winter nature As is now the pattern with a changing climate, this fall in Peterborough was marked by extreme temperature. October was an amazing 5.0 C warmer than normal – most likely our Read more…
Check out August sightings for Brian Asmunt’s encounter with an Eastern Hog-nosed Snake. Here are a couple of shots of my first Snow Bunting of the year. I saw it at the Omemee marsh on November 1. Driving on the River Road just south of Lakefield on November 4, we Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – November 19, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Ten easy activities to engage more fully with nature This week, I’d like to propose some simple activities to enhance a late fall or winter walk, be it alone or with friends or family. Activities such as these are also popular with kids Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – November 12, 2021 – by Drew Monkman A look at the annual winter finch forecast Anyone who feeds or watches birds knows that the relative abundance and diversity of species varies widely from one winter to the next. These fluctuations are most noticeable in a group known as winter or Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – November 5, 2021 – by Drew Monkman The late fall forest is a joy to explore Last week I had the pleasure of spending a couple of days at my brother’s cottage on Big Gull Lake, north of Kaladar. Located on the Canadian Shield, the flora and fauna is almost Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – October 22, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Our region offers rich experiences in the natural world, but let’s also acknowledge the losses and assaults As the great American ecologist and conservationist, Aldo Leopold, once wrote, “One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a Read more…
I thought you might be interested and surprised (as I was) to know that I heard at least one Chorus Frog calling both yesterday afternoon and evening (October 20) from a wet meadow on the 7th Line Smith near our house. We always have quite a few Chorus Frogs calling Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – October 15, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Seeds ride air, animals, and their own steam to new destinations Nature is never at rest. Even now, as leaves change colour and fall to the ground, all manner of trees, shrubs, and flowers are engaged in a crucial mission: spreading their Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – October 8, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Many children are already anxious or have dangerous misconceptions. They want and need to talk about it. For nearly two years now, we’ve all been talking non-stop about Covid with friends, family, and even our kids. You’d almost think we’ve Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – September 24, 2021 – by Drew Monkman A boom or bust cycle of seed production is no less than an adaptation for survival “Daddy, why do flowers smell nice? Why do ladybugs have spots?” From the time we’re old enough to talk, we overwhelm our parents with Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – September 17, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Cooler temperatures, migrating birds, and a riot of colour are the hallmarks of this wonderful season. Next to spring, fall’s arrival is my favorite change of season. The cooler temperatures and changing colours never fail to shake me out of Read more…
On September 27, while walking on the 3rd hole of the Kawartha Golf and Country Club, I spotted two Giant Puffballs in the little strip of woods just west of the green. They were at least 10 inches in diameter, in perfect stage of ripeness. I was tempted to gather Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – September 3, 2021 – by Drew Monkman Given how quickly climate chaos is unfolding, the Conservative climate plan comes up short. The most alarming story to come out this summer is not the continuing pandemic or the tragedy in Afghanistan. As serious as these problems are, Read more…
This morning, August 30, while entering the Indian River at the Piggery for our ritual early morning swim, we noticed a heron-like bird on a branch close by. The sun was behind it so we only saw its silhouette. When it took off, however, we were surprised to see that Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – July 16, 2021 – by SCOTT MCKINLAY Nature isn’t just good for you; it nurtures climate action The restrictions of the past 16 months have forced many of us to explore new frontiers of entertainment and self-fulfillment, and much of that entertainment has come in the form Read more…
Peterborough Examiner – July 9, 2021– by LINDA AND AL SLAVIN Local 4RG climate group connects us all to the biggest crisis modern humans have ever faced We keep hearing about the climate crisis in the news: more than 700 people died in BC in the late-June heatwave, just a Read more…
I witnessed a very interesting encounter yesterday, July 20, between Common Loons and a Bald Eagle and, although it was not in the Kawarthas, I thought you might like to hear about it. My in-laws own a cottage on Papineau Lake, north of Bancroft, and my family spent the last Read more…