Drew Monkman

Two Caspian Terns were sitting on a rock in the Otonabee River on Water Street just north of Hilliard in the small park where you can pull off. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Jerry Ball and I traveled up to Sandy Lake Rd and area today and found five species of butterfly. Surprisingly the most numerous were Henry

As weather in the low 20s continues, flowers are completely out on all Norway Maples and some Sugar Maples. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Today is the fifth straight day with temperatures in the twenties. The catkins are already piling up on the road under Carolina Poplars and fallen flowers litter the ground under Silver Maples. Leaves are almost out on lilacs, red elder and other early leafing species. Bloodroot is in flower in Read more…

My first Yellow Warbler of the year was singing across from my place (1798 Young’s Pt.Road, Lakefield) this afternoon. (Note: This may be a record early date, the earliest previous date being April 24th according to Sadler’s “Our Heritage of Birds” – D.M.) Location: Lakefield Observer: Myles Falconer

The flooded field at the corner of Smith-Ennismore Fifth Line and Centre Line resonated with calling leopard frogs, chorus frogs and several American Toads. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

This morning, during an Earth Day nature hike at Lakefield Marsh that Jerry Ball and I led, we watched a pair of very noisy and pugnacious Merlins. Their nest is easily visible in a tree opposite house #51 near the Marshland centre. Tony Bigg had found the birds and nest Read more…

Under the full moon and in the unseasonably warm temps, Jon and I heard 5 Anuran species calling simultaneously in our neighborhood: 1 American Toad, 2 Leopard Frogs, and full choruses of Wood Frog, Chorus Frog and Spring Peeper. (N.B. This is an extremely early date for toads. They usually Read more…

I saw my first Broad-winged Hawk of the year, south of Havelock, and heard several Virginia Rails (also my first) north of Havelock. I also saw a flock of five Bohemian Waxwings in the business district of downtown Havelock. White-throated Sparrows singing in suitable habitat (though much of it still Read more…

Jerry Ball and I watched the Lake Katchewanooka Bald Eagles feeding their two eaglets today. The eaglets appeared to still be all white and quite small, maybe Rock Pigeon size. We also recorded 8 Greater Yellowlegs in a vernal pond just north of Young’s Point and at least 20 Mourning Read more…

Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were in a wet field at the corner of the Centre Line of Smith and the 5th (NE corner) this afternoon. Several Wilson’s Snipe fly about also. Location: Centre Line of Smith Observer: Anne Anthony

The Hepatica in my garden was in bloom today. Location: Observer:

This morning the ice on Stoney is very black and honeycombed in the main part of the lake. It is open from Burleigh Falls to Juniper and the Church and around the islands in Boschink Narrows. We’ve paddled since Wednesday. Many Common Mergansers and Ring Necks with small flocks of Read more…

While conducting surveys for Chorus Frog, I encountered individual, singing Pine Warblers at about a half dozen locations between Burleigh Falls, Buckhorn, Bobcaygeon and Bridgenorth. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow was with Tree and Barn Swallows over open water at Buckhorn, and Brown Thrasher and Eastern Towhee were encountered near Ennismore Read more…

Jon and I encountered a Northern Redbelly Snake this afternoon crossing the gravel rail trail just a little north of Trent University yesterday. This area (about 500 m to 1 km N of the start of the trail at Trent) also presently has choruses of Chorus Frog, Wood Frog and Read more…

This morning, two Ruby-crowned Kinglets could be heard singing in the Avenues area of downtown Peterborough. Location: downtown Peterborough Observer: Don Sutherland

I just came back from a walk down the hill here at Trent, and there is a good chorus of Chorus Frogs presently calling from the wetland between MacKenzie House and Gzowski College. Location: Trent University Observer: Carrie Sadowski

I was watching two Fox Sparrows, two American Tree Sparrows, and a White-throated Sparrow under and on the feeders, when suddenly a flash of colour under the pea tree caught my eye and it was an Eastern Towhee. It was the first time ever I have seen one here and Read more…

This morning at about 9:35, a large Snow Goose of the blue morph flew into the flooded field at Mather’s Corners with a group of about 20 Canada Geese. It was still there 10 minutes later when I left that location. Location: Keene area Observer: Bill Crins

During an hour-long walk at Petroglyphs PP this morning, we heard Golden-crowned Kinglet (3), Brown Creeper (2), Red-breasted Nuthatch (4), Winter Wren (3), Hermit Thrush (2) and Eastern Phoebe (1), all singing. Except for a few open patches on south-facing slopes, lots of snow (20-60 cm

A Midland Painted Turtle was sunning itself on a log, at Miller

I heard Chorus Frogs calling this afternoon in a shrub swamp about 1 km north of the Trent University science complex, just east of the rail trail leading to Lakefield. Location: Trent University Observer: Mike McMurtry

A couple Spring Peepers were calling tonight in the wet field behind our house. The weather was cold and wet. Location: Lakefield Observer: Carrie Sadowski

Today at 21:10 there was a single Spotted Salamander [yellow spotted salamander] crossing the road near my house heading north towards the breeding pond (Sumcot Dr., off Allen’s Rd. west of Buckhorn). Weather at the time was light rain and 3 C. There is still a considerable snow cover in Read more…

A White-throated Sparrow visited our yard today and was in full song for much of the morning. Several whitethroats overwintered on nearby Merino Boulevard this winter and one was briefly at our feeder in late March. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

As ‘sparrow week’ continues, four American Tree Sparrows were in our yard this morning, for the first time since the fall. This species is slowly making its way north to its breeding grounds on the tundra and should pass through the Kawarthas in large numbers these next few weeks. Junco Read more…

Tony Bigg also had a Fox Sparrow visiting his feeder today as well as a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the trees in his garden. Location: Lakefield Observer: Tony Bigg

Today at my feeder a bright and brillant male Fox sparrow – 1st of the season! Location: Peterborough Observer: Randy Smith