Sightings
It’s Shaggy Mane mushroom time
I was out walking on our land in Omemee on September 16 and came across several clusters of large Shaggy Mane mushrooms. I think they are beautiful! Ruthanne Sobiera
Sightings
Waved Sphinx caterpillar
Meredith Carter and our planting crew found this yellowish caterpillar in Lakefield this Saturday during the TD Tree Planting event. I found a similar looking caterpillar – but more light green and pink – in late August up north in Dorset. Any idea what they are? Erin McGauley Note: I’m Read more…
Sightings
Barred Owl pays a visit to Selwyn Township feeder
Last February, I photographed this Barred Owl, which was perched on my phone cable – 20′ from the front of the house, in Selwyn Township, just south of Lakefield. About 30′ to each side of him/her were my 2 bird feeders – and not a small bird in sight! It Read more…
Sightings
Monarchs released & Giant Swallowtail at Elmhirst
Over the last two weeks, we tagged and released all of the Monarchs we raised in the classroom. I’m also sending along two photos I took of a Giant Swallowtail at Elmhirst Resort on Rice Lake this past weekend. Stephanie Benn
Sightings
Fall Colour Report is Live
Now’s the time to take in the beauty of autumn at Ontario Parks! The 2017 Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report is LIVE! Check for the latest colour changes in up to 60 provincial parks across Ontario by using the report’s map and peak-viewing chart. Staff will be updating their park Read more…
Sightings
More recent sightings
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) (1) – Reported Sep 22, 2017 08:09 by McLean Smith – 2 Woodland Dr, Peterborough CA-ON (44.3634,-78.2926), Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.363432,-78.292649&ll=44.363432,-78.292649 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39331356 – Comments: “I am not 100% certain as to the ID of this bird, but based on size, shape, and colouration, Read more…
Sightings
Sandpiper sightings in Millbrook
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) (1) – Reported Sep 22, 2017 10:30 by Scott McKinlay – Millbrook Conservation Area, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.1492506,-78.4480704&ll=44.1492506,-78.4480704 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39345272 – Comments: “Seen with a solitary sandpiper on a mud bar in Millbrook pond. It was slightly smaller than the solitary with browner, lighter Read more…
A Changing Climate
A precarious future for Canada’s wildlife
Myriad threats and declines evident in the Kawarthas, too Living in a country as big and relatively unpopulated as Canada, it might come as a surprise that much of our wildlife is in serious decline. This was made abundantly clear last week when World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) released its Read more…
Sightings
Rare Ross’s Goose in Peterborough (via eBird)
Ross’s Goose (Anser rossii) (1) – Reported Sep 20, 2017 12:00 by Matthew Garvin – PTBO – Edgewater road and Railway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.299988,-78.31236&ll=44.299988,-78.31236 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39300375 – Media: 6 Photos – Comments: “Diminutive white goose similar in size to adjacent RBGU with flock of CANG North of Read more…
Sightings
Big warbler diversity on PFN Sunday Morning Nature Walk
A beautiful September morning greeted the ten early risers who took part in the Peterborough Field Naturalist’s Sunday A.M. nature walk today. We spent most of our time in the Promise Rock area of the Rotary-Greenway Trail, just north of Trent University at Lock 22. Songbird diversity and numbers were Read more…
Columns
An autumn almanac: Looking ahead to events in nature after a summer marked by climate change
For anyone paying attention, the biggest story of the past summer has been the fury unleashed by planet Earth as a result of climate change. As Clive Hunter, an Australian public intellectual, said on CBC Radio’s Ideas recently, “What we’re now confronted with is a wakened, angry, raging beast.” The Read more…
Sightings
Sudden death of 12 Mallards in city
At around 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 3, residents in the Tobin Court and Evans Dr area in the north end of the city, reported the sudden death of 12 Mallard ducks. Earlier a group of 14 ducks was observed walking up Tobin from a local pond just south of Read more…
Sightings
Great Blue Heron with lunch
My photo of a Great Blue Heron with a crayfish in its beak. Taken at Millbrook on 31-August-2017 ~ 2:00 p.m. Trudy Gibson
Sightings
Great Egret sighting on Indian River
I observed a Great Egret on the Indian River in Warsaw. It was right behind Warsaw Public School. The bird came several evenings in a row around August 11. Sandra Richardson, Warsaw
Sightings
Sightings of increasingly uncommon Barn Swallows
On August 23, I saw about 25 Barn Swallows on hydro wires on the 4th Line of Douro-Dummer near Cottesloe. So few these days. On August 25, I was riding my bike in the same location and saw 5 or so Barn Swallows in the same location. As I rode Read more…
Sightings
Black-crowned Night Heron sightings from Meadowvale Park, Ptbo
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1) – Reported Aug 25, 2017 15:05 by Ben Taylor – Peterborough–Meadowvale Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Squat heron with black back and a light coloured plume feather standing on a log in plain sight.” On August 28, I came across this Read more…
Sightings
UPDATE: Common Nighthawks are migrating – Warsaw area a local hotspot
Now’s the time to be looking for migrating Common Nighthawks. The best time to see flocks is late afternoon and evening. They feed as they fly and are often seen over water. In my experience, they often turn up after a rain event. Here are some recent sightings from Tim Read more…
Sightings
Gravel Pit Conservation Area a local birding hotspot!
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Aug 27, 2017 14:28 by E. Straka – Otonabee Gravel Pit Conservation Area, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) (1) – Reported Aug 27, 2017 14:28 by E. Straka – Otonabee Gravel Pit Conservation Area, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: Read more…
Sightings
Giant Swallowtail sightings increasing
After a slow start this summer, the number of Giant Swallowtail sightings/reports appears to be increasing. “We have a resident Giant Swallowtail in our garden in Keene. It particularly likes the pink Phlox.” Susan Vance “On August 26, we paddled Read more…
Sightings
Red Crossbills – rare visitors to Peterborough
Beavermead Park in Peterborough is one the city’s premier birding destinations, especially now as fall migration is underway. Bill Crins had 24 species in the park during an hour of birding on August 23 (see checklist below). These included two Red Crossbills, a bird seldom seen in Peterborough. Red Crossbill Read more…
Sightings
Observing young eagles on Buckhorn Lake
I’ve been paddling down to watch the 2 young Bald Eagles since June. Up until yesterday I always found them high in white pines within sight of their nest. August 17th was the first day they ventured farther, to a heron nest about a mile from the eagle nest. (Herons Read more…
Sightings
A great summer for Monarchs
Monarch sightings in the Kawarthas have been far more numerous this summer than in the recent past. For example, Tim Dyson has had 353 sightings in the Warsaw/Stoney Lake area as of today. Like many people, I have at least one in the garden almost every time I look out. Read more…
Sightings
Peregrine Falcon in Peterborough puts in another appearance (via eBird)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Aug 20, 2017 18:00 by Chris Risley – Peterborough – Rotary Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Seen flying north along the river by Chris Risley and then spotted again about 15 minutes later flying south along the river.”
Sightings
Beautiful Cinnibar Polypore bracket fungus at Buckhorn
Wendy Bowen of Buckhorn reports a bracket fungus growing on a fallen log beside her garage (August 20, 2017). I was finally able to identify it as a Cinnibar Polypore. Apparently, it is widespread in Ontario but not common. I’d never seen it before. One website describes it as “Tough, Read more…
A Changing Climate
Our biggest environmental problem isn’t climate change: it’s addiction to growth
Why Climate Change Isn’t Our Biggest Environmental Problem, and Why Technology Won’t Save Us by Richard Heinberg Published by Post Carbon Institute – August 17, 2017 Reposted with permission from Ecowatch. Our core ecological problem is not climate change. It is overshoot, of which global warming is a symptom. Overshoot Read more…
Sightings
Great Egret on Fisher Drive
I spotted a Great Egret in a pond on Fisher Drive in Peterborough on August 14. The pond is sort of tucked in behind the last factory on Fisher as you approach Brealey Drive. Also the Red-headed Woodpecker still makes regular stops at our feeder throughout the day. Marina Kosichek, Read more…
Sightings
Peregrine Falcon on Lansdowne Street
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Aug 14, 2017 14:14 by Dan Chronowic – Lansdowne St. and The Parkway – Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Hunting Rock Pigeons above the Spaghetti Factory. Caught a Rock Pigeon and landed on the top of the truck garage Read more…
Sightings
The beautiful Great Golden Digger Wasp
This Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) was trying to set-up nests on my front walkway. It had 5 holes dug already. I was able to get a video of it. This is one pretty creature and aptly named too! Rick Stankiewicz, Keene Note: The Great Golden Digger Wasp is Read more…
Sightings
Great Egret sightings
On August 5, 2017 at about noon, there was a Great Egret flying north up the Indian River just north of “The Back Dam” just upstream from Warsaw. As I paddled towards where it had suddenly spiraled downward behind some trees, I finally noticed it perched on someone’s dock. Shortly Read more…
Sightings
On July 29, my grandson and I discovered a jelly-blob looking “creature” in Buckhorn Lake. It’s about the size of a small loaf bread (or a haggis !) and seems to have some seaweed attached to it (or even through it). Toni Sinclair, Buckhorn Lake Note: This is probably a Read more…