Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) (1) – Reported Nov 15, 2016 21:00 by Jeff Stewart – 621 Carveth Drive, Millbrook, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32578096 – Comments: “heard hooting near house by Annie” Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Nov 16, 2016 12:00 by Basil Conlin – Read more…
I took these shots of a Black Bear cub in Young’s Point on November 9th at about 2:00 pm. Jeff Keller
I spotted this little Red Fox north of Flynn’s Corners on November 1st. The pheasant I saw November 2 near Lindsay. It was my first time seeing one. I did not know they were wild around here. Jeff Keller Note: I don’t think they are reproducing in the wild. The Read more…
I have good news and bad news. The good news is that my American Chestnut trees produced what appear to be a few viable nuts. The bad news is that the number of viable nuts is much smaller than I had hoped for. American Chestnuts are monoecious, so although the Read more…
On October 16, my wife and I came across a curious mushroom trail in the Robert Johnson Eco Park in Douro. We though you might be interested. We speculate that some little vole or other rodent passed by a mushroom full of spores, captured a mass of them on his Read more…
I told you about the “friendly” Ruffed Grouse at our cottage near Parry Sound. Apparently the bird was following neighbours around too. Our dog almost got him several times, despite being on leash, because the grouse would fly after us when we were walking around and land closely. Attached is Read more…
I was out on the acreage on October 12 doing my usual pre-hunt checkout, and came across this lovely Eastern Hog-nosed Snake. On the 13th, I was documenting some history for my museum about mining in the area and came upon these bats in an abandoned uranium mine near Crystal Read more…
On Friday afternoon, November 11, this beautiful adult Cooper’s Hawk made a kill in my east city backyard. It appeared to have taken a Rock Pigeon. Helen Nicolaides Keller, Mark Street
I thought you might be interested in the following: a Gray Squirrel and a Cooper’s Hawk dueled it out on the top rail of our split rail fence in mid-October. For at least 15 minutes they charged at each other fearlessly before the hawk called it quits. (When the hawk Read more…
Here is photo of a six pound Giant Puffball we found on September 19 on Fire Route 15 near Stoney Lake. This is one puffball. The small end grew from the ground It was in perfect condition and white throughout. Many people enjoyed eating it; you can be sure! Joan Major
On October 8 at 9:30 am, we were paid a visit by a young bull Moose at our place on South Bay Shore Road West on Stoney Lake. Linda Gilbert
In early October, we had a large flock of about 50 ducks that we fed on our shoreline in the hopes of giving them a safe haven away from the hunters. The flock was joined by a lone Ring-billed Gull. The gull ate the corn we spread – right in Read more…
Here is a picture of our cottage Red Squirrels’ pre-winter stash. Clearly our local squirrels are an OCD lot: note that the cones are not only symmetrically arranged, but the butt ends are all formed like rays around rocks or along the length of a fallen tree! Certainly I have Read more…
New app We are constantly striving to improve the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas and are currently in the process of revamping the smartphone app. The new version of the app will include interactive features that allow users to see when their record has been accepted and when certain records Read more…
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) (2) – Reported Nov 18, 2016 08:30 by Iain Rayner – Chemong Lake–west end of causeway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32603609 – Comments: “2 Female types 300 M – 500 M north of causeway. IDeable through binoculars.” Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) (1) – Reported Read more…
I heard that the Gray Jay is going to be Canada’s national bird. So, in honor of the designation, I photographed these two today in my yard today and fed them bacon as a Canadian gesture! Marie Windover, 2167 Cty Rd 507, Flynn’s Corners
In her recent Environmental Protection Report entitled “Small Steps Forward”, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dianne Saxe, called upon the government to put words into action to monitor biodiversity, combat wildlife declines, control invasive species, and follow through on better forest fire management. The large-scale loss of biodiversity is a Read more…
We live in Peterborough, just west of Wallis drive. Since about mid-August, starting just at dusk, we hear cricket-like sounds coming from the trees in our neighborhood. The frequency of the sound is about that of a cricket, but is continuous rather than the intermittent cricket’s call. There seems to Read more…
Do you know what this is? An egg mass or two? It was attached to a synthetic yellow rope floating beside our dock on Crab Lake. I took the photo on September 11 with a bit of cloud reflection. Ken Brown According to Don Sutherland of the Ontario Natural Heritage Read more…
I saw a mature Bald Eagle last night, September 10, flying over our cottage. It was just above the trees so very close. I’m on the north shore of Stoney Lake, near Viamede Resort. It’s the first one I’ve seen in many years (last saw one at a nest near Read more…
Thought I would forward these photos to you. The first photo was taken of Stanley, “my” tame Ring-billed Gull, in July. The obvious red eyes and red gape. His head is pure white. The second photo was taken Aug 15. I had noticed his red colouring was fading and he Read more…
On August 25, there were about 3 Blue Jays here at the bird bath. I had time to get a few shots of one who, unlike the others, was pretty bare of feathers on the neck and sides of its head with short feathers growing back in on its crown. Read more…
Here’s a picture of a stink bug ? sucking the life out of a monarch caterpillar, taken in mid-August. The photos are extracted from an image sequence shot from video camera. Yesterday, I went on a monarch caterpillar hunt with my two nephews. First we found another dead caterpillar, all Read more…
I came across this Northern Water Snake in my kayak on lower Buckhorn Lake on July 26.
We were so excited to hear a Whip-poor-will calling June 6, at about 10:50pm. Thirty-five years ago, when we first moved to 1120 Rock Road near Warsaw, they were very plentiful and would keep you up for hours with their continuous calling. Then, for whatever reason, they disappeared and we Read more…
The photo was taken back in June, 2016, by Daryll Ferriss in Ardbeg, which is close to Parry Sound. He managed to pick up the pair and had great difficulty in getting the dragonfly to let go of the hummingbird. He gently separated the legs from the bird but the Read more…
Nature is replete with beautiful vistas, vibrant colors, intriguing species, poetic moments and always the unexpected. It is wonderful to be able to capture some of these discoveries on paper and to reflect more deeply on the experience. Journaling is an activity that can help everyone – regardless of age Read more…
Yesterday, November 4, around 4 pm, a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew over Lakefield. They flew from the south and seemed to be heading NW. We estimate over 30 birds. They were followed by a small flock of about 10 a few minutes later. Wonderful sight and sound. Bill Buddle
Big changes in the landscape will soon be a reality in the Kawarthas as extensive growth is looming on the horizon. For many, there is a fear that our region could easily lose its “nearby nature” character and become another Ajax or Barrie – in other words, a landscape that Read more…
On October 26, while raising a dock for a client on Quarry Bay on the north shore of Stoney Lake at early dusk, I paused a moment when I thought I heard Sandhill Cranes. A few seconds later, I could hear them again, and looked up at what had to Read more…