Brutally cold weather and/or snow has really impacted tracking, so I have taken the time over the past few weeks to revise my website, Don McLeod’s Nature Blog. Using the “Keyword Galleries” will help to view tracks for individual species. Don McLeod Muskrat Trail along shore of Chemong Lake Read more…
This little fellow, an Eastern Screech-owl, perched on our suet chunk between 4:30 and 5:30 yesterday afternoon (Feb. 24). We thought maybe he just wanted to get out of the wind as we didn’t see him pecking at the suet, unless he was attracted by the many small birds in Read more…
Well, it is currently minus 23 with a minus 37 windchill outside, as I write this. Nesting season may be the farthest thing from your mind. Afterall, we still have about 50 cms of snow in the bush, daylight is still at only about eleven hours in length, and did Read more…
Last night I turned on the deck light and was just about to go out to fill the heated birdbath when just 6 feet away from me, I spotted an Eastern Screech-owl on the lowest branch of the spruce that grows beside the deck. It was up against the trunk Read more…
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1) – Reported Feb 20, 2015 15:21 by Luke Berg – Otonabee River b/w Peterborough and Lakefield, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “New arrival, but not unexpected, with the freezing up of many water bodies. Female just south of Lakefield.” Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps Read more…
A White-throated Sparrow has been coming to the feeders each day since December. Looks mighty cold some days and at present is favouring one foot. Seems to be traveling alone but some days feeds either with the Common Redpolls, American Tree Sparrows or the Dark-eyed Juncos. Bill Snowden, Ennismore
It was a busy start to the day at my feeders. As I was preparing my breakfast a Cooper’s Hawk scattered the Common Redpolls around my feeders, missing all of them. Five minutes later I looked out again and watched a Barred Owl on the ground tearing apart an Eastern Read more…
I caught sight of this Snowy Owl on a hydro pole along County Rd 4 during a snow squall Wednesday morning (Feb 18, 2015). It was my fourth Snowy photographed this winter so far. The bird was quite large and had heavy barring along chest. I also took this photo Read more…
Yesterday, I was standing in the middle of a road, 15 ft away from this Barred Owl. He was just watching me and listening to some overhead crows. I stood there for over 15 minutes. He was practically tame! Michael Gillespie, Keene
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) – Reported Feb 14, 2015 08:51 by Peterborough County Birds Database – Otonabee River–between Lock 25 and Lakefield, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “continuing bird, actively diving in river opposite CR 33; closer to S end of open water just N of ice-edge Read more…
My friend, Carl, and I were coming back from the Wolf Centre in Haliburton today and decided to travel down County Road 36, south of Bobcaygen, as we have come across a Snowy Owl along there before. Today we were extra lucky, as we happened to see both a Barred Read more…
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) (1) – Reported Feb 11, 2015 12:39 by Matthew Tobey – Sir Sandford Fleming Dr at The Parkway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) (350) – Reported Feb 15, 2015 11:07 by Peterborough County Birds Database – Bailieboro–1.3 km SSE on Hwy Read more…
This beautiful Barred Owl visited my backyard Wednesday morning (Feb. 11) just after 7:00 and stayed until just before 9:00. A chickadee tried to get rid of him but it was the squirrels that managed to chase him off. Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent I had a Barred Owl near the Read more…
On Saturday, Feb. 7, we had a Barred Owl in our yard. It was eating something it had caught. Brenda McIsacc, Baltic Drive On Feb. 7, I saw a Barred Owl on Ackison Drive, near where the solar panels are at Lily Lake Road. I was my way to work Read more…
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) (20) – Reported Feb 07, 2015 04:20 by Erica Nol – Brown’s Bridge, hwy 48 N of Havelock, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “At least two family groups, one with 4 young, the other with 2. All birds below bridge. Distinctive facial pattern Read more…
In a cave, tunnel or old mine near you…nothing is stirring. Some of our most fascinating animals survive the cold of winter by hibernating. They enter a deep torpor, a kind of suspended animation. By allowing their body temperature to fall dramatically they reduce their metabolism to a level at Read more…
Yesterday, we saw our first White-tailed Deer, six healthy looking animals checking out the bird feeders as they crossed our property, heading for the river. In the eight years we have been here, we have regularly seen groups of deer throughout the winter months, often with higher numbers, but this Read more…
February 6, 2015 Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry The province has completed phase one of consultations on the Moose Project and is now inviting Ontarians to provide feedback on proposed changes the government is putting forward to help further address declining moose populations. Recent moose population surveys have shown Read more…
I haven’t always been able to snowshoe to work. In fact, I didn’t own snowshoes until moving here just over two years ago. For me, one of the big attractions of Peterborough was the easy access to natural areas – parks, forests, lakes, hills, and the beautiful Otonabee river. Read more…
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) (2) – Reported Feb 03, 2015 09:30 by Dave Milsom – 1302 4th Line of Asphodel, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “continuing bird”
Yesterday, Feb. 2, at around 3 PM, I was driving on Hwy 28 to Northey’s Bay Road. Just after the big bend after Young’s Point, an immature Snowy Owl flew across the highway and off across a field. Shortly after and just before Northey’s Bay Road, I almost hit an Read more…
Today, Feb. 1, at 9 AM, I saw a flock of 10 Bohemian Waxwings in trees behind my home at 1093 Scollard Drive in Peterborough. Dave Milsom milsomdave@hotmail.com