Blog

This afternoon I walked the Trans-Canada Trail 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 Read more

  A Black-crowned Night-Heron was perched on the dead top branches of a tree right beside the river, just north of the “Greenhouse on the River” garden centre on River Road (County Road 32). It seemed like it was fishing,  although Read more

Yesterday, me and two friends birded Wylie Road on the Carden Alvar, just north of Kirkfield. It is well worth a trip at this time of year, especially for the opportunities to get great photographs of species such as bluebirds.  Read more

Today I saw my first Monarch Butterfly of 2013. It was flying over a meadow off of Sharpe Line, just east of Bethany. Observer: Drew Monkman

  Last night I went to look for Eastern Whip-poor-wills just outside Warsaw. At the bridge on Rock St in Warsaw there was a Red-shouldered Hawk calling in the dark. Two km down Centre Road (in Douro-Dummer) there were four Read more

This afternoon I walked the Trans-Canada Trail from the blue bridge (near the pumping station entrance point on Parkhill Road at Ravenwood) almost to Ackison Road. A great number of wildflowers are in bloom right now. Although most are non-native, Read more

I am writing because I realized the other morning that I have not heard one of my favorite sounds this spring, the flute-like call of the Wood Thrush  in our woods. It has been part of our spring/summer experience for Read more

  My wife, Nancy, caught this scene on the morning of June 9 as she was picking flowers in our meadow garden at our cottage on Mississagua Lake. Observer: John Ronson, Mississauga Lake (Note: This is a Goldenrod Crab Spider Read more

These Red Fox cubs have been providing entertainment for some Ennismore residents this spring.  Four were around for some time, while the 5th one just showed up on June 9th. The pictures were taken by a trail camera. Red Foxes Read more

Bald Eagles are nesting across from St. Peter’s on-the-Rock church near Collin’s Island on Stony Lake. The pictures were taken by Jeff Jones the week of June 3rd and by Rob Welsh on June 12.  From the Jone’s photo, there Read more

Last Friday was the first day that I noticed any Snapping Turtles  laying eggs with just one showing up.  Today, there were up to at least 5 in my front and backyard area and they showed up late (mid-morning) and Read more

While driving in the University Road area on Sunday around 5:30 pm, we saw a Great Egret fly overhead.  We have not seen one before so this was exciting for us!  We also noticed the wetland off University Road is Read more

This little Gray Treefrog was on my deck in a broken clay pot this morning. He is only about one inch long. What a cute little thing! Observer: Kim Mitchell, Ennismore

I thought I heard an American Redstart in our lane this morning (May 29th) after walking my son to the bus.  I pished and for the first time it worked!  He flew right down to within 10 feet of me Read more

This afternoon I walked the Trans-Canada Trail from the blue bridge (near the pumping station entrance point on Parkhill Road at Ravenwood) to Ackison Road. A great number of shrubs are in bloom right now – almost all with white Read more

Today on Nichol’s Cove Road I had four Golden-winged Warblers. Three were males all singing the typical Golden-winged song and the forth was a female associating with one of the males. The Brewster’s Warbler that I saw last week was Read more

I came across these two moths in my dogwood bush tonight (in Peterborough suburbs).  Some Internet searches  helped me identify them  as Cecropia moths. They are quite large and were motionless for a long time…I’m no expert but I believe Read more

Browning of the tips of the leaves on Eastern White Cedars is once again very noticeable  in the Kawarthas.  According to Taylor Scarr, provincial forest entomologist at MNR, the “browning” is the result of coincident attack by several of the Read more

I saw my first Canadian Tiger Swallowtail of the year today. I also read a report that two Giant Swallowtail butterflies have already been seen in Eastern Ontario (Ted Mosquin). Observer: Drew Monkman

I saw the first fireflies of the year last night. Observer: Kim Clark – Bethany

The University Road Wetland continues to get shallower producing more shorebird habitat. This evening, in with the Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, and Spotted Sandpipers, there were at least 1 White-rumped Sandpiper and the highlight of the evening, a Read more

While cutting my lawn this evening I found a large Blanding’s Turtle walking across the lawn to get to my neighbours on Hazel Crescent (off Campbelltown Road) OSM Twp.  Got some nice pictures.  Huge shell at almost 11” long. It Read more

This evening, a Polyphemus moth appeared on our livingroom window. We live on County Road 6, Lakefield. I was able to get a picture of it. Observer: Sabine Overink (Note: This is one of the giant silkworm moths. It is Read more