Cottagers sometimes find large, mysterious, jelly-like “blobs” attached to the dock or aquatic plants. They are formed by colonies of Bryozoa, a freshwater invertebrate. Looking somewhat like an egg mass, the clumps are clear, dense, and have distinct, repetitive patterns and markings on the outside. Bryozoa are like a freshwater Read more…
Today, an adult female Eastern Dobsonfly crawled up on my deck for about 30 minutes. She was almost five inches long. I’ve never seen one before, though I understand they are fairly common. Living on Armour Road about 150 metres from the Otonabee River we never know what will Read more…
Regal butterflies rare in the Kawarthas as climate change, pesticide effects take hold Click here to view column
Today, I had two Monarchs on my milkweeds. Observer: Ulrike Kullik, Highway 7, Havelock
– Lesser Yellowlegs (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert for Peterborough. The report below shows observations of species you have not seen in Peterborough, based on your eBird observations. View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN34560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless Read more…
*** Species Summary: – Peregrine Falcon (2 reports) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Rare Bird Alert for Peterborough. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Peterborough. View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Read more…
Jerry Ball and I went butterflying in the NE of the County today. Our route was Cty Rd 6, Cty Rd 44, Hubble Rd, Cty Rd 46 and Sandy Lake Rd. Butterflies were prolific, especially on Sandy Lake Rd.. In total we saw 42 species, with amazing numbers of hairstreaks. Read more…
The Peregrine Falcon is once again nesting in Peterborough County. A pair of falcons is presently raising two young in a lake-side nest in North Kawartha township. The nest, which is located 50 ‘ above the water on a cliff, was originally built by ravens. A Peregrine is also being Read more…
The most significant “non-sightings” so far this spring and summer have been Monarch butterflies. I have only seen one so far this year and most people I know have not seen any. This includes, Don Davis , Ontario’s foremost Monarch bander and expert on the species. According to Don, Read more…
Current research unveils dire warnings of effects on birds and pollinators Click here to view column
Regarding the abundance of fruit this year…yes! It’s as if everything is masting (producing a huge amount of fruit/seed)!! Dale & I have expounded about the abundance of flowers since the early spring, and right on through until now: first the Canada Plum, then the serviceberries, and even the maples, Read more…
This year’s butterfly numbers have been a little off. I have yet to see any Monarchs or Question Mark butterflies.The ones I have seen are – skippers, azures, tailed-blues, American lady (caterpillars now on Pussy Toes), tiger swallowtails, eyed browns, pearly eyeds and white admirals. The woodland butterflies , eyed Read more…
This past Sunday, June 30, I saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes, near Cambray (northwest of Lindsay). They were in a large field. Observer: Gavin Hunter
Here are a couple of recent photos of a Green Heron fishing from a tree branch along the shore of an island in Rice Lake. As shown in the first photo, the heron would cling to a branch while hanging upside down and jabbing its bill in the water to Read more…
Click here to learn about eBird *** Species Summary: – Least Bittern (1 report) – Upland Sandpiper (2 reports) – Peregrine Falcon (2 reports) – Northern Rough-winged Swallow (4 reports) – Cliff Swallow (1 report) – Eastern Towhee (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Read more…