Drew Monkman

This afternoon, two Monarch butterflies were feeding on the Butterfly Bush blossoms (Buddlia) in my garden. Later, a Great Spangled Fritillary showed up, as well. Drew Monkman, Maple Cres., Peterborough

I was able to photograph this female or young male dragonfly yesterday in the garden of a neighbour’s house on Amundsen Ave. The owner of this house is a real gardener and this dragonfly was resting on a lovely orange Tuberous Begonia. Margo Hughes, Peterborough N.B. The species is probably Read more

Walking to the forest on Saturday (August 24), I saw this late Monarch caterpillar instar as well as an empty chrysalis attached to a stem of grass. Hope these are good signs and not simply mementos of this lovely creature. Jane Zednik, Millbrook

Sitting outside in our backyard on Friday evening (Aug. 23), I heard my first nocturnal flight calls of the “fall migration” as migrants were streaming southward overhead. I am not able to identify the birds to the species level – other than the thrushes, which tend to migrate in late Read more

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1) – Reported Aug 24, 2013 08:48 by Chris Risley – Peterborough–Meadowvale Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3342704,-78.3128536&ll=44.3342704,-78.3128536 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15001488 – Comments: “adult, standing on log in marsh (edge of river) next to willows”

Yesterday evening, at about 19:30, a juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper was present on the north shore of the Briar Hill pond on Ptbo. Co. Rd. 21.  There was little else shorebird-wise, aside from a couple of Least Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Semipalmated Plover, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a couple of Read more

  The number of Giant Swallowtails in the area has increased greatly in the last week or so. Yesterday we had two Giants on the same Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) in our garden in Lakefield. I also saw two more earlier in the day in the south of the county. And, Read more

What are the insects that are building nests (see photo) in our garage? The insect is  black and looks like a big flying ant .  It has black, transparent wings and is 2″ or so long. It scratches away on the ground and then adds to the nest in a Read more

Three Great Egrets have been hanging around the pond in Millbrook for the past week or so.  A lovely, exotic sight! Jane Zednik

Today, David Beaucage Johnson took me out to see the eagles that have once again nested on a small island on  Buckhorn Lake,  just to the east of Fox Island. We were able to see one mostly-dark juvenile bird perched in a tree adjacent to the nest and one adult. Read more

During my holidays this summer at Jack Lake near Apsley, we saw a Common Five-lined Skink on our dock from August 8 to 12 – except when we had a camera handy to take a photo!   Our cottage is in Brook’s Bay.  My son saw one a couple years Read more

This afternoon, a lone Monarch butterfly nectared on the Butterfly Bush (Buddlia) in my garden. This was only my second Monarch sighting of the summer and the first Monarch to show up in my garden. Two days ago, a White Admiral was on the same plant. Drew Monkman, Maple Cres., Read more

*** Species Summary: – Black-bellied Plover (1 report) – Lesser Yellowlegs (1 report) – Least Sandpiper (1 report) – Pectoral Sandpiper (1 report) – Barred Owl (1 report) – Olive-sided Flycatcher (2 reports) – Tennessee Warbler (1 report) ——————————————— The report below shows observations of species you have not seen Read more

Today, I saw two unidentified insects (see photos) on a dead maple tree, full of small holes. Cindy Shields, Peterborough My guess is that the insects are a Giant Ichneumon Wasp and a Pigeon Tremex Horntail. When you find one, you tend to find the other. They frequent dead or Read more

*** Species Summary: – Semipalmated Plover (1 report) – Lesser Yellowlegs (3 reports) – Semipalmated Sandpiper (1 report) – Least Sandpiper (2 reports) – Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1 report) – Olive-sided Flycatcher (1 report) – Cliff Swallow (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert for Peterborough. Read more

  I was visiting a cottage on Coon Lake just west of Burleigh Falls on the weekend of July 20 and all of us got a good look at a juvenile Five-lined Skink with its beautiful blue tail. Very exciting. Whip-poor- wills sang all night. Sue Paradisis

  At our lot in Galway, Cavendish & Harvey Township north of Bobcaygeon, we have never seen the cherry trees so loaded as this summer. We have had a small crew of Cedar Waxwings in our meadow all summer, but we have yet to see them or anyone else help Read more

On Wednesday afternoon (August 14) I walked the Trans-Canada Trail west from the foot path that goes up the steep hill to the bottom of Wallis Drive, past the  blue bridge (near the pumping station entrance point on Parkhill Road at Ravenwood) to about 100 metres west of the orange Read more

*** Species Summary: – Blue-winged Teal (1 report) – Great Egret (1 report) – Great Egret (American) (1 report) – Lesser Yellowlegs (1 report) – Least Sandpiper (1 report) – Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5 reports) – Cliff Swallow (Northern) (1 report) – Black-throated Blue Warbler (2 reports) ——————————————— Thank you for Read more

*** Species Summary: – Peregrine Falcon (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Rare Bird Alert for Peterborough. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Peterborough.  View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Read more

The drought conditions we had last summer may be the reason why nearly all of the trees and shrubs are laden with a heavy crop of seeds and fruit. This explanation is courtesy of Michael Snyder, a forester, and Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.  This was Read more

*** Species Summary: – Blue-winged Teal (1 report) – Great Egret (1 report) – Great Egret (American) (1 report) – Lesser Yellowlegs (2 reports) – Least Sandpiper (2 reports) – Cliff Swallow (1 report) – Cliff Swallow (Northern) (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert Read more

Butterflies have generally been in much reduced numbers this year, the exception being hairstreaks. On July 12 Jerry Ball and I found Banded Hairstreak 45, Acadian Hairstreak 50, Coral Hairstreak 2, Striped Hairstreak 6, Hickory Hairstreak 12,  and Edwards Hairstreak 23. A few Gray Hairstreaks were found from July 23 Read more

1. This morning was the first time I felt my hay fever symptoms, which means that Ragweed is now in bloom. 2. I had a report today of a Northern Goshawk hanging out near birdfeeders on Knox Street. The house backs onto Armour Hill.  This hawk species is rarely seen Read more

On August 8 at 7:56 pm, I saw a Great Egret on Wallace Point Road, Bailieboro, just east of County Road 28. Location: 44.169431,-78.360632 Observer: Julie Horton