January 2014

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Jan 28, 2014 13:32 by Len Manning – Otonabee River–between Lock 24 and 25, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3948515,-78.2648636&ll=44.3948515,-78.2648636 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16551310 – Comments: “Female. Shaggy crest, thinner bill than accompanying Common Merganser, smudgier chest, slightly smaller overall.”    

This morning, we had an encounter with a Sharp-shinned Hawk in our yard. My mom and I got to watch this hawk devour an unfortunate Mourning Dove for over an hour about 15 feet from our living room window. We had assumed it was a male Cooper’s Hawk, because it Read more…

I  went up for a look today and the White-winged Scoter was in the same location.  (3.5km north of Trent University on River Road, adjacent to 911 address 3983 River Road). Tore Buchanan

The Northern Flicker was back this morning feeding on a suet ball. Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent  (Note: Flickers are quite uncommon in central Ontario in winter. D.M.)

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) (1) – Reported Jan 24, 2014 16:30 by Walter Wehtje – Otonabee River – Lock 25, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.4006748,-78.2627392&ll=44.4006748,-78.2627392 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16498717 – Comments: “All-black duck with prominent white wing patch. All dark bill with feathering going down 2/3 of its length. No white Read more…

On Friday, January 24, a Barred Owl showed up in our backyard just south of Lakefield on County Road 29. The owl was sitting on top of the Eastern Cottontail it had just caught. My grandson, Jeff, was able to photograph the bird. Lois Keller

There was an adult Bald Eagle soaring above the beaches at Beavermead Park at Little Lake at around 4:00 pm last Sunday afteroon (January 19). Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent  

This morning, I saw a Cooper’s Hawk hunting near our birdfeeder. At the same time last year a Cooper’s frequented our yard on Fife Bay but I hadn’t seen any since then until this morning. Nancy Cafik, Fife’s Bay

  1. Watch the track of Jupiter as it tracks south through Gemini, like an extra and brightest “star”, this winter until March 6th when it appears to stop and then looks to reverse its track and go back to the east as the year progresses. 2. Venus will be Read more…

Last Friday afternoon, I finally got down to Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area to walk a cooped-up rambunctious canine who’s been deprived of getting out and about and enjoying sniffs for about 3 weeks now. The main route towards the sugarbush is walkable and we went down as far as Read more…

Eastern Screech-Owl (Northern) (Megascops asio [asio Group]) (1) – Reported Jan 18, 2014 21:00 by Luke Berg – Peterborough – Storell Rd and Bensfort Rd, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2161706,-78.2819223&ll=44.2161706,-78.2819223 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16428069 – Comments: “Calling from woodlot on the side of the dump.” Eastern Screech-Owl (Northern) (Megascops asio [asio Read more…

Regarding your very informative and timely article on Snowy Owls this week, I would like to share our experience. We live on Fortye Drive in the subdivision across from Fleming College. On Christmas Day evening, at about 8 pm, I was walking by a window and noticed something dark sprawled across the snow Read more…

Researchers at the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section in Peterborough are initiating a study on Short-eared and Snowy Owl diet and are hoping to collect pellets throughout the winter. Essentially, we are looking for changes in the owl’s diets over time and linking that to cyclical Read more…

I just finished reading your column and wanted to let you know that on January 11 we saw a Snowy Owl in a field on Elm Tree Road between Lindsay and Little Britain. It was at 4:00 p.m. and it was a female by the way you described them. We Read more…

I had a friend of mine send me your article in the Peterbrough Examiner about the Snowy Owls. I am located in the Niagara Region. Last year we had one of these birds appear at the new hospital is St Catherines. It made headlines as people flocked to see it. Read more…