Drew Monkman

Bruce Kidd, a farmer in Douro/Dummer Township reports that his full complement of 30-40 Barn and Tree Swallows have now returned. Location: Douro/Dummer Townships Observer: Bruce Kidd

Solitary Sandpiper in a small pond on the Blezard/Villiers lines section of the old rail trail in the south of the county. Upland Sandpiper back in their usual fields on Cty Rd 38 north of Hwy 7. A good number of Bank Swallows in the gravel pits on Cameron Line Read more…

Clouded Sulphur on the Blezard/Villiers rail trail. Silvery Blue on the Blezard/Cameron rail trail. Location: Blezard Line Observer: Tony Bigg

I saw a Red Admiral butterfly alight on our purple sandcherry at the patio. (Note: I have also seen 3 or 4 Red Admirals in our yard this spring. It may be a flight year for them. They do not show up every year.) Location: Peterborough? Observer: Michael Ecob

Sugar Maple leaves are mostly fully open. Lilac almost in full bloom, too. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Butterflies:

Red Trillium, White Trillium, and Blue Cohosh were almost in full bloom today near Buckley’s Lake. This is at least three weeks earlier than the average flowering date. Location: 5th Line of Douro Observer: Drew Monkman

Three Fox Sparrows were feeding on the ground under my feeder today. Location: Lakefield Observer: Tony Bigg

Today, I found a West Virginia White Butterfly on Charlie Allen Rd. (north of Flynn

My husband and I (both experienced birders who have seen peregrines elsewhere in Canada) saw a Peregrine Falcon flying northward over our home on Old Young’s Point Road today around supper time. The tail and wing shapes were distinctive as was the wingbeat pattern. In addition, my husband had his Read more…

This morning I found the remains of an Opossum on Crescent Street in Peterborough. Location: Peterborough Observer: Ken Rumble

Lori and I walked the dogs in Petroglyphs Provincial Park at around mid-day today, It was a cool start (@5C), but was getting warm by the time we returned to the car. The highlight was two Pine Warblers singing near the park gate at Northey

I saw a Savannah Sparrow today on the fence alongside the “Quarry” golf club west of the causeway at Bridgenorth. Location: Bridgenorth Observer: Tony Bigg

There was a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks in the trees above our house today at noon. We’re located on Fireroute 40 near 6 Foot Bay Resort. They are the first I’ve seen here. Merlins come and go regularly. Also, I had a single sandhill crane flying over the Gannon Narrows Read more…

I heard my first Common Loon of the year today on Lake Katchewanooka. Location: Lake Katchewanooka Observer: Sheryl Smith

On Sunday, April 11, about 30 people took part in the first PFN Sunday Morning Bird Walk of the spring. We first of all went to the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary where we saw and/or heard a good variety of species including Ring-necked Duck, Eastern Phoebe, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, American Read more…

I watched 4 or 5 dozen swallows today in Lakefield, skimming around low over the water near the mouth of the river, opposite Isabel Morris Park. There was a strong, cold, west wind and it was overcast. I’ve recorded their arrival for 7 years, and this is the earliest. 2004 Read more…

Albeit not rare and around for about a week now, there were 63 Tree Swallows hunting over the river and sitting on a powerline at Trent University yesterday. Seemed like a noteworthy sized flock to me. Location: Trent University Observer: Ben Walters

I had a Cabbage White (April 3) and a Spring Azure in my garden (April 6). This brings the county total to 8 species so far this year (Eastern, Green and Gray Commas, Compton

The first Chipping Sparrow of the year made a visit to one of our feeders. Location: Maple Crescent Observer: Drew Monkman

Northeys Bay Road – Lots of amphibian activity during the rainy evening. Hundreds of Spring Peepers, dozens of leopard frogs, a few Grey Tree Frogs found on the roads. Also found 1 Red Eft (terrestrial juvenile Eastern Newt), and several Blue Spotted Salamanders and Spotted Salamanders. Location: Northeys Bay Road Read more…

After an Easter Weekend with temperatures in the 20’s, Hepatica was in bloom in our garden. Bloodroot, too, was almost in full bloom. Location: Maple Crescent Observer: Drew Monkman

Yesterday morning we saw a Northern Goshawk circle over the canal at the Trent U Nature area. It landed in a wooded area on the West side of the canal. We also saw a Northern Shrike that has been singing for the past two weeks. Some of the other birds Read more…

Burnham Woods – E.Garter Snakes are out and I’ve observed several breeding balls. Location: Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park Observer: Stewart Stick

The noisy merlins have returned to Nicholls Park, hopefully to nest again. This morning the male osprey was doing the sky dance flight high above the nest at the soccer field on Ashburnham. He was so high I probably wouldn’t have noticed him except for the contant calling he was Read more…

This morning in the swamp next to the Otonabee on the Mervin Line (the road north of the airport) I found 4 species of woodpecker including a male red-bellied excavating a hole. It was also calling repeatedly. I saw one here last spring as well. (downy, hairy, flicker were the Read more…