Drew Monkman

Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) (1) – Reported Apr 23, 2014 07:30 by Luke Berg – Peterborough – John de Pencier Trail, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Seen well with large flock of TRES on the canal. Dark band across upper breast with white throat clearly visible.” Palm Read more…

A few of our sightings over the long weekend …  American Bittern and American Kestrel on Centre Line of Smith Great horned owl at a nest – watched the male being chased by a flock of crows Red-tailed Hawk feasting at a kill site on Hwy 28 Turkey Vultures going Read more…

On my drive along Lakehurst Rd ( Buckhorn to Ennismore) yesterday, we spotted a Sandhill Crane at Jackson’s farm (where they sell sweet corn in the summer), an Eastern Bluebird that almost hit the windshield, and an Osprey hovering over the Gannon Narrows Bridge. There are also a pair of Read more…

I was in Lakefield on Tuesday and returned along River Road. Due to flooding there was a disturbingly large quantity of floating vegatation in the river. A Lakefield woman showed me a video she had shot on the weekend that show a “raft” that was around 35 feet wide by Read more…

We observed an interesting phenomenon on the weekend at our cottage on Baptiste Lake, near Bancroft. The lake was still frozen except for a portion in the middle that was open due to the current going down the York River. Groups of deer (5-10 at a time) arrived to the Read more…

Northern Waterthrush   – Reported Apr 22, 2014 07:22 by Donald Sutherland – Peterborough–Trent Rotary Rail Trail, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “calling, shrub thicket swamp opposite S entrance to Promise Rock Trail at Trent University”

 A Yellow bellied Sapsucker was drumming on the arbour yesterday afternoon and a host of Tree Swallows are on the wires on Harrington Line. Things seem to be moving faster now. Early trees are in bloom such as the poplars, willows and red and silver maples. Bill Snowden, Ennismore  

  On Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 10:30 AM, in flow at the north end of Little Jack’s Lake (between Jack’s Lake and Stoney Lake), my brother and sister-in-law saw a Bald Eagle perched above the open water. I have seen Bald Eagles at the spot numerous times during the Read more…

On my return from Easter there were approximately 15 Tree Swallows on the wires near the bird houses along Harrington Line in Ennismore. They are the first I’ve seen here this year. Bill Snowden

  We have our first native bees out. I think they are mining bees. I have scanned a picture of the bee from Heather Holm’s new book “Pollinators of Native Plants”. It is the bee in the middle shot of the top 3 pictures on the right. It is the Read more…

Cackling Goose  – Reported Apr 20, 2014 12:50 by Daniel Williams – Mather’s Corners Meltwater Pond, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Few scattered individuals mixed in with Canada Goose.” Trumpeter Swan – Reported Apr 20, 2014 13:35 by Warren Dunlop – Mather’s Corners Meltwater Pond, Peterborough, Ontario Read more…

                This afternoon between 2 and 4 pm my dad and I drove the 9th Line of Douro/Drummond Line. Highlights were 3 Virginia Rails on Drummond line about 200 m N of highway 7. The rails were in a scrubby swamp, mainly filled Read more…

I just counted 27 Common Loons on Little Lake. Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent, Peterborough

I met this handsome Horned Grebe for the first time ever today at Little Lake. Karin Laine, Peterborough

              This morning a Pine Warbler was in my backyard – they breed in the pines opposite our house, in the Lakefield College grounds. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was singing in the Lakefield Park. The marsh there is now ice free. Tony Bigg, Lakefield  

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  – Reported Apr 16, 2014 17:20 by Iain Rayner – Ptbo – Canal south of Parkhill, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “First of year…seen from 10-20 ft flying over Canal. Brown swallow, brown throat” Great Egret – Reported Apr 16, 2014 19:30 by Luke Read more…

Blue-headed Vireo  – Reported Apr 15, 2014 13:30 by Tim Haan – Welsh St, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist and photo  

From at least 5 until 6:30 pm today I had a male Eastern Towhee here in the backyard. It emerged on and off from a patch of trees where I don`t rake the leaves and was foraging for bird seed on the ground. I had never seen one before, but Read more…

  Eastern Towhee – Reported Apr 13, 2014 12:30 by Donald Sutherland – Cottesloe–3.2 km ENE on Webster Rd, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “flushed from roadside, flew N into cover on N side road. Medium-sized passerine with longish tail, entirely black back and conspicuous white tips Read more…

Spending the morning birding, I found eight species of sparrow – Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow (all in my garden), Swamp Sparrow, Fox Sparrow (both Lynch’s Rock Rd), Savannah Sparrow (Douro 3rd Line south of Cedar Cross Line), Vesper Sparrow (TCT between Blezard & Cameron Lines). Read more…

We were delighted to see the return of our local American Kestrel this weekend, on 14th Line of Smith. Nima Taghaboni

  Yesterday afternoon (April 13th) I heard Chorus Frogs calling at two locations on Division Rd: <10 calling from the cattail-shrub thicket-maple swamp around 500 m east of Blezard Line; and about the same number in the flooded maple floodplain of the West Ouse River around 600 m west of Read more…

Last night I went out with my dad and Dave Milsom to see what amphibians we could find on the roads (Birchview and Camp Line specifically) just north of Lakefield. The vast majority of the amphibians were on Birchview Road and were as follows: – Blue-spotted Salamander = 44 – Read more…