October 2013

Walking the Trans-Canada Trail on Monday, October 28, I came across a flock of three American Tree Sparrows – my first of the fall – along with a Fox Sparrow and a single American Goldfinch. The tree sparrows will spend the winter here. Later, three Golden-crowned Kinglets responded to my Read more…

  Report from October 5, 2013 I have found two more patches of Carrion Flower (Smilax herbacea), also known as Coprosmanthus herbaceus . (It is a tendril-bearing plant with a stem that arches over bushes like a vine. The flowers are very ill-smelling. The fruit is a cluster of black-blue berries. Read more…

  This weekend saw the first sightings of  Snow Buntings this fall.  An Arctic-nesting species, the birds no doubt took advantage of the winds blowing from the north to facilitate their flight southward. Snow Buntings are common in the Kawartha all winter and often gather in flocks of several hundred Read more…

*** Species Summary: – Canvasback – Redhead – Northern Shrike Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) (1) – Reported Oct 25, 2013 08:45 by Jason Straka – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.4180879,-78.2587266&ll=44.4180879,-78.2587266 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15488072 – Comments: “Male.  Brown head and gray back.  Large duck with large, heavy, black bill.  Diving.  Read more…

With today’s cool temperatures and powdering of snow, the birds were once again flocking to my backyard this morning. Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were feeding on the niger seed and finch mix I scattered in small piles on the ground, while Northern Cardinals, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Black-capped Chickadees were Read more…

At least 20 Dark-eyed Juncos appeared in the yard this morning, probably having taken advantage of the north winds to move southward with the cold front that has arrived. They are eating the niger seed I’ve scattered in small piles on the ground. A Hermit Thrush was with them as Read more…

Species Summary: – Brant – Surf Scoter – Red-breasted Merganser – Red-throated Loon – Lesser Yellowlegs – Eastern Screech-Owl – Horned Lark – American Pipit – Lapland Longspur ——————————————— View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN34560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Brant (Branta bernicla) (50) CONFIRMED – Read more…

On Sunday, October 20th, I led a group of 10 birders on a short outing to see what species we could find along the Parkway Corridor, the Otonabee River and at the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons. The bird activity at the Cumberland Drive end of the Parkway was quite impressive with Read more…

Our situation is CRITICAL! The final Environmental Assessment, with recommendations for a four lane bridge through the heart of Jackson Park intact, is going to City Council committee of the whole on November 13.  This will be followed a week later by a special City Council Meeting, for APPROVAL of Read more…

This afternoon, I walked the Trans-Canada Trail between the Wallis Drive access point and Lily Lake. Many of the trees and shrubs have already shed their leaves, probably as a result of the heavy rains of late. flowers  in bloom: small numbers of Evening Primrose, Yarrow, Red Clover,  Black-eyed Susans Read more…

Snow Goose  ——————————————— View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) (3) CONFIRMED – Reported Oct 17, 2013 08:30 by Scott Gibson – Peterborough – West edge of County at Boundary Road, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.4041047,-78.4760771&ll=44.4041047,-78.4760771 – Checklist: Read more…

Orange-crowned Warbler ——————————————— 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 Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Oct 17, 2013 06:55 by Jeff Stewart – 621 Carveth Drive, Millbrook, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.1354565,-78.4611087&ll=44.1354565,-78.4611087 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15429670 – Read more…

In case you have not seen notice of this in other media, the Elk has been back for several days. It is in the first field south of the junction of Hwy 28 and Centre Rd of Douro, on the west side.   Tony Bigg  

Today, at 1pm, I saw a Trumpeter Swan with yellow wing tag J81 out on the lake swimming with and  being very friendly with a lone goose. I live on Washburn Island on Lake Scugog. Helen Anderson

  I have attached a photo of this tiny Golden-crowned Kinglet as it recovered from a window head bump. It occurred this morning  at 11:30 on our back deck near Bridgenorth. Very happy to report that it flew away shortly after. Is this a very common bird here? I have Read more…

We have a mystery sound coming from our front maple tree, every night once the sun goes down. It continues all night until sunrise. It’s so loud, neighbors on both sides have come over to ask if I am using some high-tech device to ward off the neighborhood cats from Read more…