On February 7, we had a juvenile Northern Goshawk in our backyard. My wife saw it first, and we watched totally mesmerized. It appeared to have just killed a squirrel. I’m a birdwatcher and I get a lot of different bird species. We have feeders set up. I’m sure I Read more…
At our cottage on Crowe Lake, we’ve been watching our annual convention of Trumpeter Swans. After I took this video there was quite the flurry of activity. We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy this part of nature. Maxine Prentice, Peterborough Update from Maxine: The swans return each Read more…
We live at the 12th Line and Northey’s Road in Selwyn. This Red-bellied Woodpecker has been here for the past week. Not the best picture (taken December 3). Paul Vigneux I had a productive day (December 6) at the Peterborough Airport. Most of these birds were photographed along Moncrief Line. Read more…
Check out August sightings for Brian Asmunt’s encounter with an Eastern Hog-nosed Snake. Here are a couple of shots of my first Snow Bunting of the year. I saw it at the Omemee marsh on November 1. Driving on the River Road just south of Lakefield on November 4, we Read more…
I thought you might be interested and surprised (as I was) to know that I heard at least one Chorus Frog calling both yesterday afternoon and evening (October 20) from a wet meadow on the 7th Line Smith near our house. We always have quite a few Chorus Frogs calling Read more…
On September 27, while walking on the 3rd hole of the Kawartha Golf and Country Club, I spotted two Giant Puffballs in the little strip of woods just west of the green. They were at least 10 inches in diameter, in perfect stage of ripeness. I was tempted to gather Read more…
This morning, August 30, while entering the Indian River at the Piggery for our ritual early morning swim, we noticed a heron-like bird on a branch close by. The sun was behind it so we only saw its silhouette. When it took off, however, we were surprised to see that Read more…
I witnessed a very interesting encounter yesterday, July 20, between Common Loons and a Bald Eagle and, although it was not in the Kawarthas, I thought you might like to hear about it. My in-laws own a cottage on Papineau Lake, north of Bancroft, and my family spent the last Read more…
A friend of mine saw an American White Pelican on Sturgeon Lake at Sandy Point on June 25. Phillip McKeating Some recent photos of an Eastern Kingbird and a Black-billed Cuckoo near Campbellford. Donald Munro Patricia and I have been puzzled about the Black Walnut trees around our house and Read more…
Each night I awake about 1:00 a.m. In my easy chair, I observe flashes of white on the front deck. These are two or more flying squirrels at play. If I turn on the light, they do not move much and I interrupt their game. A friend asked me if Read more…
I got this shot of a yawning Red Fox in Millbrook on April 20. Jeff Keller My daughter, Jennifer, went for a walk in a park today, April 25, and came across these Painted Turtles. She said it was fun to watch them trying to get a spot on the Read more…
I’m sending along photos of the two Pine Grosbeaks that showed up at my feeder in late December. I called them “Heebie” and “Jeebie”! One time, Jeebie almost landed on my head, but she decided to pull up at the last second; I could feel her wings. She also eventually Read more…
On February 26, I came across this Short-tailed Weasel (Ermine) near the Lakefield March. I wish I’d had my camera instead of just my phone. Debbie Jenkins also saw one outside her kitchen window. She apparently saw it grab a mouse! Guy Hanchet, Lakefield My husband and I spotted this Read more…
At noon, on January 31, I came across a Northern Hawk-owl at the horse farm just north of Selwyn on the Buckhorn Road (County Road 23). David Beaucage Johnson, Curve Lake On January 30, I came across this dead Northern Saw-whet Owl. By the marks in the snow, it flew Read more…
On December 2, I observed two Short-eared Owls flying over the east end of the runway at the Peterborough Airport. I flushed the first bird from a ditch as I parked on a pull-off on the west side of Moncrief Line, about 200 metres south of Mervin Line. The pull Read more…
On November 1, a Tufted Titmouse turned up at my backyard feeder. I live at 62 Westview Drive (an area known as The Glen) on Pigeon Lake in the City of Kawartha Lakes. It was coming to the feeder off and on until at least November 11. Blair Hamilton On Read more…
Today we were out walking along the Rotary Trail between Parkhill and the London Street footbridge. Six or seven large nest-like webs were visible, hanging from different trees. There must be many more. I do not ever recall seeing these nests along that trail this time of year. I think Read more…
Hummingbird Clearwing Moths are regular visitors at the phlox in our garden. Gwen Forsyth, Lakefield Your column several weeks ago regarding Gypsy Moths really caught our attention. We have a cottage on Jack Lake and recall the infestation back in the 1970s. This past several weeks our cottage there have Read more…
This Imperial Moth is a new one for me. Apparently others in the Stony Lake area have seen them, too. Perhaps that is a coincidence or maybe climate change? Rob Welsh, Dodsworth Island, Stony Lake – July 3 Tim Dyson’s response to Imperial Moth question above: It’s not climate change Read more…
Three different species of hummingbird moths came to our lilacs on June 4th. They included a Nessus Sphinx, a Snowberry Clearwing, and one species I was unable to photograph and identify. Then, on June 17, a Hummingbird Clearwing, showed up in the lilacs, as well. As of July 3, 2020, Read more…
I was down along Nichols Road and County Road 2 on April 1 and saw this Northern Shrike. Carl Welbourn Today, April 1, it was nice to hear four Chorus Frogs calling along the trail near Trent University. Early sign of spring ! Mostly frozen willow shrub wetland with some Read more…
May 2 was a beautiful morning for a bird walk. Warm south winds the night before had brought in migrants. Walked the trails at Camp Kawartha with Jacob Rodenburg and Tim Dyson – respecting two metre distancing of course. In a couple of hours we found 38 species, including some Read more…
Here’s a shot of an Eastern Screech-owl that I found on Saturday, Feb 29, near Little Britain. Carl Welbourn This Bald Eagle has been at our waterfront on Cameron Street, Peterborough. It had flown over the river and swooped down and brought out a huge fish that it dropped on Read more…
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) (1) – Reported Feb 01, 2020 17:19 by Matthew Tobey – Peterborough Municipal Airport–pond, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2376419,-78.3566642&ll=44.2376419,-78.3566642 – Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S64024864 – Comments: “Calling from woodlot between Moncrief Line and the airport.” Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (10) – Reported Feb 02, 2020 08:15 by Read more…
Varied Thrush – On January 1, my son Philippe and I went to see the rare Varied Thrush that is coming regularly to a feeder at the office of the Bark Lake Conference Centre, just west of Gooderham. This species is native to British Columbia but occasionally wanders into eastern Read more…
Northern Hawk-owl: On December 19, I was able to get this picture of a Northern Hawk-owl near Barrie. Donald Munro Glaucous Gulls: On December 16, I went up to Trent University to see the two juvenile Glaucous Gulls that are hanging out Read more…
Lingering blackbirds: A Red-winged Black-bird and a Brown-headed Cowbird were coming to our feeders in late November but seem to have disappeared. A Common Grackle has also been coming. Here is a picture taken December 1 during the snow storm. Greg Warner, Cherryhill Road, Peterborough My grand daughter, Grace Mackie, Read more…
Leucistic American Robin: This “Hallowe’en ghost robin” was eating berries in our yard. Fred and Marg Forster, Keene (Note: Leucism refers to a lack of normal colour pigments in the feathers. D.M.) Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) (3) – Reported Oct 29, 2019 Read more…
White-throated Sparrows arrive on schedule: Right on schedule, five White-throated Sparrows arrived in our backyard this morning, the first of the fall. Some years, several dozen are here at the same time. They enjoy the finch mix (millet, nyger, sunflower seeds) I scatter on the ground each spring and fall. Read more…
Nighthawk migration: On August 29, Tim Dyson & I counted migrating Common Nighthawks from Back Dam Park near Warsaw from 6-8pm. We tallied 133 birds, with one “flock”comprising at least 48. Quite a sight! Tim has already had several evenings in late August with more than 100 nighthawks. Nighthawks are Read more…