Sightings
March 31, 2008
“I photographed an early caterpillar taking a walk on the snow in the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday. I
“I photographed an early caterpillar taking a walk on the snow in the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday. I
Duck numbers at Little Lake were particularly high this afternoon. After a quick count, I would guess there were at least 150 each of Hooded Mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks, 100 Common Mergansers, maybe 50 Common Goldeneye, and about 30 Bufflehead. I didn’t have time to check all of the ducks Read more…
“A male cardinal is coming regularly, sitting on our BBQ and then flying into our patio door. It does this for a good half hour back and forth. Even though it is a little annoying to listen to, we don’t want to scare it away.” (The bird is seeing its Read more…
“I saw five Bald Eagles this morning. All five were close together..but two in particular were “dancing”-partial rolls,dips,climbing short stoops. No talon holds. It seems a little late for them to still be here, but there are still wolves killing deer. There have been two kills in the Boschink area Read more…
At least eight Turkey Vultures are presently roosting in a row of Norway Spruce on Edgewood Road in the west end of Peterborough. The birds have been there for several days and roost here for a week or so every year during spring migration. Location: Edgewood Road Observer: Vickie Martin
I found a freshly killed (still warm) Eastern Screech Owl on Division Rd. about 500m east of Hwy 28 at 7:10 this morning. There was still no sign of the Great Gray Owl near Old Norwood Rd and Burnham Line. A River Otter was on the ice by Lock 23 Read more…
This morning, I saw a Killdeer on one of the new subdivision roads NW of Wildlark Dr. in the west end of Peterborough. It flew off towards Loggerhead Marsh which is now frozen but must have a few patches of open water. Where else does it find food? There certainly Read more…
Kestrel and Northern Harrier Location: Moncrief Line (Airport Road) near Highway 28 south of Peterborough Observer: Ken Rumble
Two American Woodcocks were calling and flying around the junction of Burnham line on Old Norwood Rd. at dusk. Location: Burnham Line east of Peterborough Observer: Tony Bigg
“We have heard and seen a Merlin in Inverlea Park this spring. They are once again nesting in pine trees. Their call is disturbing us. This is the third year they have come to raise families.” Location: Inverlea Park, Peterborough Observer: Russell Macgillivray
There were a couple of Eastern Meadowlarks standing in the snow today on Bartlett Rd. which is off Highway 28. They were near 28. There was also 2 Kestrels in the vicinity. Location: Bartlett Road Observer: Ben Walters
In the last two days, Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls have moved on from our feeders. About 30 Evening Grosbeaks continue to visit, now in the company of male Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. On Mount Julian Road, within a known breeding territory, we encountered our first Red-shouldered Hawk of Read more…
For at least the past five days, a Great Gray Owl has been present (and photographed) along Burnham Line near Old Norwood Road. To my knowledge, this is the first Great Gray seen in the Kawarthas this winter/spring and may mean there are others around or on their way. Location: Read more…
At Lakefield Marsh, this morning, I saw a Great Blue Heron fly over. Red-winged Blackbirds were spread out all around the marsh giving their territorial calls. A few Common Grackles were also around, and one Northern Shrike sat near the viewing tower. In the river by the campsite there were Read more…
About 15 cm of heavy snow fell this afternoon and this evening. No major March thaw has occurred as of yet. Skiing conditions are still superb at Kawartha Nordic X-C ski trails at Haultain. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman
A Northern Saw-whet Owl made a stop-over on its northward migration today. It turned up in a tree in the front yard of a house on Gilmour Street in Peterborough. Location: Peterborough Observer: Erica Nol
In what’s turning out to be the winter/spring of the Barred Owl, another bird has turned up, this time just north of the city. It has been sitting out in plain view in a backyard where there’s lots of feeder activity and a large contingent of squirrels and chipmunks. It Read more…
A pair of House Sparrows has already laid claim to a nest box in our backyard. The female has been spending most of today and yesterday removing nesting material that I assume has been there since last summer. I guess she’s giving the place a makeover! A dozen American Robins Read more…
While preparing our Easter supper, we were treated to a short visit by an Ermine, also known as the Short-tailed Weasel. It was spotted by my daughter, Sophie . Still in its winter colouration, the weasel was pure white except for a black-tipped tail. Note that McCrea Drive, where the Read more…
This morning I saw my first Common Grackles of the year along Wallis Drive. During a quick drive through of Little Lake Cemetery, a Song Sparrow, my first of the year, too, was singing. I also saw a flock of about a dozen Ring-necked Ducks in addition to the buffleheads, Read more…
Today, I saw one Trumpeter Swan on Lower Buckhorn Lake around the mouth of the Mississauga River. He stayed there for hours. Location: Lower Buckhorn Lake Observer: Rose Mary Rosada
With spring’s arrival today, Peterborough has recorded a record winter for snowfall – 304 centimetres. Although there are some gaps in local records, the snowiest winter previously was 302.7 cm in 1911-12. According to Dave Phillips of Environment Canada, 10 percent of the annual snowfall comes after the first day Read more…
I heard my first American Robin in full song this morning. There was also the most feeder activity in weeks – chickadees, both nuthatches, juncoes, house sparrows, mourning doves, cardinals, a downy woodpecker, and American goldfinches Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman
This first day of mild weather (7 C) in along time also brought in some migrants. The first flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds arrived at the Kidd farm today. Location: Douro/Dummer; County Road 8 Observer: Bruce Kidd
Many Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneye, and Greater Scaup on the Lake today, along with 2 Buffleheads and 2 grebes (Pied-billed?) There were also crows carrying nesting material. Location: Little Lake Observer: Ken Rumble
Bohemian Waxwings are still hanging around in the area. There were about 250 birds in the trees just south of the bridge in Lakefield today. Also the Pied-billed Grebe was below and a sub-adult Bald Eagle (head turning white) was above Lock 24 today. Location: Otonabee River and Lakefield Observer: Read more…
A flock of at least 150 Bohemian Waxwings kept me entertained while I shovelled snow today. Many of them came down to feed on European Buckthorn in our yard. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman
A Pied-billed Grebe was seen at noon, just below Lock 25. Location: Otonabee River Observer: Tony Bigg
“Signs of spring today included a male Red-winged Blackbird at the feeder in our backyard in Cavan. When I went outside a few minutes later it was calling, as were a group of 4-5 robins in the neighbour’s yard. While I was watching them picking tiny dried apples off the Read more…