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Drew Monkman

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Birds

Sightings

Flock of Redheads at Lakefield Sewage Lagoon (south cell)

Redhead (Aythya americana) (6) – Reported May 25, 2016 08:00 by Iain Rayner – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Continuing flock in south cell”

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 26, 2016 ago
Sightings

Beautiful Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers at Gannons Narrows

I caught these Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in our oak tree today May 25, 2016. Looks like there’s a pair around.  The birds were seen at Gannons Narrows/Pigeon Lake, Ennismore Kingsley Hubbs

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 25, 2016 ago
Sightings

Locally-uncommon Ruddy Duck at Lakefield Sewage Lagoons

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) (1) – Reported May 22, 2016 08:55 by Colin Jones – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Continuing bird”

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 23, 2016 ago
Sightings

A great morning of birding

On the morning of May 17 on roads west of Highway 7A, there were abundant Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, two Brown Thrashers, Savannah Sparrows, Eastern Kingbirds, Tree Swallows, and several Baltimore Orioles together in a shrub. Enid Mallory

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 22, 2016 ago
Sightings

Wood Ducks in Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park

On April 29, I came across 10 Wood Ducks in Mark S Burnham Provincial Park. Eight flew off but two remained for a few moments, and I was able to get a picture. Carl Welbourn Note: Wood Ducks nest in the park in tree cavities, sometimes 50 feet or more Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 16, 2016 ago
Sightings

Probable Whooping Crane sighting at Curve Lake First Nation

On Friday, May 6, I was watching a Turkey Vulture circling overhead at Curve Lake, when a large, bright white bird with black wing tips and long legs flew past it, heading west. The black was definitely limited to the primary feathers. There was no black in the secondaries, which Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 8, 2016 ago
Sightings

Spectacular Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, just in from Central America, once again turning up at local feeders

I was happy to see two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in my backyard in Peterborough this morning…May 5, 2016 ~ 0800 a.m. Trudy Gibson Note: I had a male grosbeak on May 5, too, at about 6 PM. They love black oil sunflower seed. D.M.  

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsMay 6, 2016 ago
Columns

Birding Adventures in Boquete, Panama: Part Two

You cannot go far in Boquete without noticing the bird activity. Rufous-collared Sparrows, House Wrens and Clay-coloured Robins pour out their songs from gardens and rooftops; pairs of Blue-gray Tanagers fly in unison from tree to tree; Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds buzz about at spectacular Hibiscus and Bougainvillea bushes; Blue-crowned Motmots glean Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 9 yearsDecember 3, 2015 ago
Columns

Birding Adventures in Boquete, Panama: Part One

We heard the quetzals before we saw them. Their resonant yelping call notes emanated from high up in the ancient trees bordering the trail. At first, I only got frustrating glimpses of the iridescent green back and throat. The small flock was moving about in the thick foliage and feeding Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 10 yearsNovember 12, 2015 ago
Columns

Winter Finch Forecast: Learn who’s coming for dinner at your feeder this winter

Late September through to the end of October is usually the busiest time of year at my backyard feeders. This year is no exception. At least two dozen White-throated Sparrows, along with lesser numbers of White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jays, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals and Black-capped Chickadees Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 10 yearsOctober 15, 2015 ago
Columns

Nomads from the North – expect small numbers of Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls this winter

At the rate I’ve been going through sunflower seed this fall, a second mortgage is looking like a distinct possibility. The dozen or so Purple Finches that have been with us since mid-September have been particularly voracious eaters. However, I’m not complaining. Although these attractive birds show up at our Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 years ago
Columns

Adventures in Nova Scotia: Up close with a pair of Humpbacked Whales during a wonderful exploration of the Annapolis Valley

I didn’t know whether to simply stare in awe or risk missing part of the show by attempting to get the perfect picture. Swimming alongside our whale-watching boat were two enormous Humpback Whales, a 40-50 foot female and her only slightly smaller calf. The two cetaceans moved gently up and Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 yearsAugust 21, 2014 ago
Columns

A Spring Pilgrimage – Looking for birds on a journey to Lake Erie country

  There are few better places to enjoy the beauty of a southern Ontario spring than the woodland trails of Rondeau Provincial Park. Winding through Carolinian forests blanketed with ferns and spring wildflowers, the trails routinely provide close-up views of some of our most spectacular birds. This year, the honours Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 yearsMay 22, 2014 ago
Columns

Watching woodcock: Many area residents don’t know this amazing bird even exists

With monikers such as pop-eyed shot dodger, bogsucker, sky dancer and timberdoodle, the American Woodcock may have the most evocative nicknames of any bird. This game specie’s  real claim to fame, however, is its spring courtship flight, in which males fly high overhead on twittering wings before returning sharply to Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 years ago
Columns

Ontario’s Important Bird Areas – Protecting our heritage of birds

The spectacle of bird migration that occurs twice each year in Canada has few equals anywhere on Earth. Billions of birds leave Canada every autumn for locations to the south, only to return the following spring and once again announce the change of season. Many of these migrating birds depend Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 yearsMarch 20, 2014 ago
A Changing Climate

This Winter of Extremes – local birders are noticing uncommon waterfowl turning up

By just about any measure, we have had a crazy winter, and not just in eastern North America. With near-record drought in California, unprecedented floods in England and unparalleled warmth in Alaska, it has been a winter of frightening extremes. Dr. Jennifer Francis, a climatologist at Rutgers University in New Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 11 yearsMarch 6, 2014 ago
Columns

Birding Call: Name that tune

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By Drew Monkman, 12 yearsMay 9, 2013 ago
Columns

Fall skies fill with raptor fest (hawk migration)

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By Drew Monkman, 13 yearsSeptember 20, 2012 ago
Columns

Dark dangers of migration

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By Drew Monkman, 13 yearsSeptember 13, 2012 ago
Columns

Warning call for birds’ future (bird decline)

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By Drew Monkman, 13 yearsJuly 5, 2012 ago
Columns

Warm Welcome for Bird Count (Christmas Bird Count results)

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By Drew Monkman, 13 yearsJanuary 12, 2012 ago
Columns

Threats and Success Stories (population trends in birds and mammals)

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By Drew Monkman, 14 yearsNovember 10, 2011 ago
Columns

The American Crow

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By Drew Monkman, 14 yearsApril 7, 2011 ago
Columns

Science in Your Own Backyard (Great Backyard Bird Count & Citizen Science)

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By Drew Monkman, 14 yearsJanuary 20, 2011 ago
Columns

It’s Official: Birds Follow the Food (Christmas Bird Count results)

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By Drew Monkman, 14 yearsJanuary 13, 2011 ago
Columns

Big Cats, Meet Big Birds (mammals and birds of the Kawarthas)

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By Drew Monkman, 15 yearsFebruary 25, 2010 ago
Columns

And Red-bellied Makes Four (Red-bellied and other woodpeckers)

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By Drew Monkman, 15 yearsJanuary 21, 2010 ago
Columns

Find the Food, Find the Birds (Christmas Bird Count)

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By Drew Monkman, 15 yearsJanuary 14, 2010 ago
Columns

Pishing for Elusive Kinglets (kinglets, how to “pish”)

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By Drew Monkman, 16 yearsOctober 29, 2009 ago
Columns

September Journeys (how migrating birds navigate)

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By Drew Monkman, 16 yearsSeptember 17, 2009 ago

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