Sightings
April sightings of note
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 open water. Mike Barker
Sightings
March Sightings of Note
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…
Sightings
February 2020 sightings of interest
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…
Sightings
January 2020 – Sightings of interest
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…
Sightings
December sightings of interest
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…
Sightings
November sightings of interest
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…
Sightings
October sightings of interest
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…
Sightings
September Sightings of Interest
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…
Sightings
August Sightings of Interest
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…
Sightings
July Sightings of Interest
20th Annual Petroglyphs Butterfly Count: The compiling of the July 21st butterfly count is finally finished and final results have been submitted to the North America Butterfly Association. A total of 55 species were recorded, slightly above the average for the last few years. The Indian Skipper found in the Park Read more…
Sightings
June sightings of interest
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) (1) – Reported Jul 01, 2019 04:39 by Donald A. Sutherland – Chase Memorial Park, Gannons Narrows, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) (2) – Reported Jun 27, 2019 11:00 by Dave Milsom – Peterborough–Trent Read more…
Sightings
May sightings of interest
Cuckoos eating Eastern Tent Caterpillars: Today, May 31, I came across a pair of Black-billed Cuckoos near Burnt River that were eating tent caterpillars. I was not aware that birds eat these caterpillars. Carl Welbourn, Kawartha Camera Club Mute Swan Read more…
Sightings
April sightings of interest
Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) (1) – Reported Apr 23, 2019 13:15 by Sarah Bonnett – Mather’s Corners Meltwater Pond, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Previously seen here, Very pink! White forehead, no green in head! Goodbye nemesis bird, thank you Peterborough for needing me to come visit Read more…
Sightings
February sightings of note
Eastern Coyote: We saw a coyote on Sunday morning, Feb. 10 beside the Westview Village (Lansdowne Street west) pond, on the north side of Harper Park. It had been lying down in the snow nearby, then wandered around the pond area and ran back into the forest. I managed to Read more…
Sightings
January sightings of note
Large congregation of eagles in Campbellford – This morning, January 29, at Percy Reach on the Trent River south of Campbellford, there were 13 Bald Eagles waiting their turn, while 3 Eastern Coyotes ate deer on the ice. The coyotes have killed three deer in the last two weeks here. Read more…
Sightings
The coming slaughter of Double-crested Cormorants
On November 19th 2018, ERO # 013-4124 was posted by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF) on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, titled “Proposal to establish a hunting season for double-crested cormorants in Ontario”. Chances are you have not seen this already, as it is not getting a lot Read more…
Sightings
December sightings of interest
Cooper’s Hawk: I had a Cooper’s Hawk visiting the neighborhood for a couple of days in the last week of December. Also had a pile of grey feathers (likely a Mourning Dove) in the garden near our feeder at this time. I managed to get a reasonable photo when it Read more…
Sightings
November sightings of interest
Snowy Owl – The Snowy Owls are back in the Lindsay / Little Britain area. The first sighting was two weeks ago. I shot this one yesterday (Nov. 22) on the road between Oakwood & Little Britain. Carl Welbourn, Kawartha Camera Club Read more…
Sightings
October sightings of note
Barred Owl (Strix varia) (1) – Reported Oct 28, 2018 07:35 by Tim Haan – 169 Pencil Lake Road, Kinmount, Ontario, CA (44.816, -78.364), Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49525404 Barred Owl (Strix varia) (1) – Reported Oct 28, 2018 16:25 by Tim Haan – 6152 Ontario 28, Woodview, Read more…
Sightings
September sightings of note
Peterborough Field Naturalists Sunday AM Nature Walk (Sept. 30) Today, a group of us walked along the hydro corridor west of Hetherington Dr. (just south of Woodland) and into the north end of University Heights Park. We enjoyed the abundant asters (e.g., New England, Heath, Panicled, Heart-leaved), Zig-Zag Goldenrod, White Read more…
Sightings
August sightings of note
Black Bear at Chemong Lake Just a report of a Black Bear on August 1. It was large. I couldn’t get a photo as I wasn’t going to open the door. It came right up to our roadside door as I was standing there and yelling for my husband to Read more…
Sightings
July sightings of note
Another fox in city dining on Gray Squirrels There was a large number of squirrels in our neighbourhood. Then came a large, gray-coloured fox, easily the size of my fifty pound Springer Spaniel. I’d often see it at first light, and thrice seen carrying a black-phase Gray Squirrel. The squirrel Read more…
Sightings
Sightings of note: July 1 – 7
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1) – Reported Jul 05, 2018 11:50 by Sheila Collett – engleburn ave, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Sitting on the edge of one of the islands off our back yard for about 10 minutes and then flew up into a willow tree Read more…
Sightings
Coloration in juvenile Hairy Woodpecker
We have a peanut feeder in front of the kitchen sink. We have had Hairy, Downy and occasionally a female Pileated visiting the feeder. This past week or so both Downy and Hairy have been bringing their young. Both seem to have male and female babies, and the parents are Read more…
Sightings
Protecting turtle nests… and a House Wren nesting in a hanging basket!
This year we’ve had at least four Painted Turtles which all came up late afternoon on June 9th. We covered over three possible nest sites, though one is never sure if eggs have been deposited. One unknown nest excavated in a grassy slope has been raided. And for the first Read more…
Sightings
Sightings of note: June 24 – 30
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1) – Reported Jun 27, 2018 08:58 by Martyn Obbard – Gannon Pond, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Crouched at water’s edge. Yellow legs. Black crown, white breast. Good look with binoculars.”
Sightings
Sightings of note: June 17 – 23
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) (1) – Reported Jun 22, 2018 07:10 by Chris Risley – Hwy 38 at RR crossing, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “heard calling and giving whistle” American Redstart & House Wren (June 20) Lots of American Read more…
Sightings
Some recent nature encounters of special interest
Purple Finches (since early May) This year, for the first time, we have Purple Finches coming to our feeder. They arrived in early May. I first noted a male, who showed a cinnamon, chestnut-reddish coloured head and body which morphed into a rose/raspberry by the end of May. The females Read more…
Sightings
Sightings of note: June 10 – 16
Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) (1) – Reported Jun 15, 2018 07:04 by Luke Berg – Deer Bay Reach Road, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 1 Audio – Comments: “Singing, east side of the road at 155 Deer Bay Reach Rd. Got a fairly good look at it Read more…
Sightings
Sightings of note: June 3 – 9
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (1) – Reported Jun 03, 2018 05:57 by Chris Risley – Jones Quarter Line and Bland Line, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “previously reported, heard giving dry buzz song, then seen” Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) (1) Read more…