Drew Monkman

  Our latest squatter is an American Toad.  We’ve never had one in the yard before – just in the hood, but this one was visible (and audible).  I know they aren’t rare but I always get a kick out of seeing what makes the noise.  Here is his YouTube Read more

For the past five days or so, the Sugar Maples throughout the Kawarthas have been covered in a garb of pale lemon, with countless thousands of tassel-like flowers hanging from the twigs. As many as two dozen individual flowers – all male, all female or a mixture of both – Read more

For the last two days, we have had a female Eastern Towhee in our yard on Stockdale Road. We are also getting lots of White-crowned Sparrows. Observer: Tom Bell  

    Both Sora and Virginia Rails were calling at 10:30 a.m. this morning from the swamp/marsh in the south-east corner of the intersection of the Trans-Canada Trail and David Fife Line near Keene. Observer: Tony Bigg  

We had a Wild Turkey visit our lawn today at about 3 pm. We’re on Armour Road, about 1 km north of Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. I’ve never seen one up here before. As you can see, it had no fear of traffic or me and let me get Read more

Sightings from ebird-alert@cornell.edu  Ruby-throated Hummingbird seen on Rock Rd in village of Warsaw between Douglas Rd and South St – “visiting feeder at residence on N side Rock Rd (#898)”  Observer: Don Sutherland  

Robert DiFruscia found Eastern Pine Elfin, Hoary Elfin and Henry’s Elfin yesterday on Sandy Lake Road (off of County Road 46, south of Lasswade). Today he and I checked the area again, seeing the same three elfins plus we added Brown Elfin, Chryxus Arctic, and Olympia Marble. First of year Read more

Yesterday morning (Sunday, May 5) I was sure I heard a Baltimore Oriole in the trees above our house. This morning, May 6, I saw him at the top of our oak tree, with the morning sun intensifying his bright orange breast. I don’t know if they are very territorial, Read more

Sightings from ebird-alert@cornell.edu Upland Sandpiper – 3rd Line of Douro – “calling near the old foundation”  Observer: Brendan Boyd Cliff Swallow – Footbridge Rotary Trail, Peterborough – “nesting” Observer: Iain Raymer Northern Mockingbird – 621 Carveth Drive, Millbrook  – “Heard first flying overhead near house (distinctive aerial flight song), large Read more

While doing the Parkway Trail Jane’s Walk this afternoon between 2 and 4 pm, I heard my first Gray Treefrog of the season. It was calling from the south side of the trail, just east of Hilliard Street. Toads were still trilling at the second retention pond (the one furthest Read more

While scanning for birds at the wetland on University Road today I had my first Green Darner of the year. It was ~1pm but there were still birds around including a Great Crested Flycatcher and an Eastern Kingbird. Observer: Greg

Today I had 26 Common Map Turtles basking on logs along the shore of Rice Lake. There were also a few Midland Painted Turtles. (Visit Don’s blog by going to the Links section of this website – D.M.) Observer: Don McLeod

Sightings from ebird-alert@cornell.edu Sora at Fairbairn Marsh (Fairbairn and 3rd Line) seen by Glenn Desy Wood Thrush singing on north side of trail at end of Fairbairn Street (dead end). Seen by Chris Risley.

This morning, my first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year was seen in my backyard in Cavan visiting the feeder.  Observer: Scott McKinlay

I saw my first Spring Azure butterfly this morning. It was feeding on the Trout Lilies that grow in our back bush. We have lots of dogwood that they lay their eggs on. Also, the tiger beetles are out on the logs looking for prey. They say that tiger beetles Read more

On Elmhirst Road this morning, I saw an Eastern Kingbird and two Sandhill Cranes (flying and calling). Trout Lily was in bloom, as well. Observer: Drew Monkman  

In the past week at Beavermead and Ecology Park, I have seen the Worm-eating Warbler (seen by many) , Buffleheads, an unidentified grebe, an Osprey, a Northern Leopard Frog, an Eastern Phoebe, a Hairy Woodpecker, Song Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Red-Winged Blackbirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, a courting pair of Northern Flickers, Red-eared Read more

This morning I walked my dogs at the Pencier trail at the Trent Nature Area.  Highlights: 7 Northern Waterthrush, 1 singing Palm Warbler, a flock of 5 adult male Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 1 singing Black-and-white Warbler. Observer: Luke Berg

Today I was photographing some tulips in Peterborough when a bee-fly, probably Bombylius major, came to nectar on the flowers. I managed to get some pictures.  (Note: Bee-flies are amazing creatures. Although they are actually flies (i.e. only have two wings) they have evolved to mimic bees. This allows them Read more

Today at about 5 p.m. there was a single Chimney Swift flying over my house on Benson Avenue in Peterborough. Observer: Luke Berg

This afternoon an immature Peregrine put up a small ball of clinking starlings as it passed quickly overhead at treetop height near where the Crowe River enters the north end of Belmont Lake n/e of Havelock. Glad I looked when I heard the starlings, as it is usually one of the Read more

About 25 participants enjoyed the beautiful weather today and overall found 65 species. The highlight stops were the wetland on Douro 9th Line just south of Cty Rd 4 where we saw/heard half a dozen Wilson’s Snipe. Going east along Division Rd we heard several Northern Waterthrush, all of which Read more

This evening, a Moose was seen on a cottage property near Hillcrest Road which runs south from Northey’s Bay Road on the north shore of Stony Lake. Reported by: Anke Blaiklock

Today I watched an adult Bald Eagle catch a fish right in front of my house on Mallard Bay on Pigeon Lake. It was very exciting! Observer: Bob Speerman