2024: a standout year for local bird sightings

The large number of rarities and the continued increase in Red-headed Woodpeckers grabbed the birding spotlight

Peterborough Examiner  – January 10, 2025 – by Drew Monkman 

For bird enthusiasts in Peterborough County, 2024 proved to be an exceptional year. Among the 252 species recorded, four rarities stand out: the county’s first-ever Barnacle Goose in April, first-ever Buff-breasted Sandpiper in September, third-ever Western Cattle Egret in October  and, in December, the first Harlequin Duck since 1978.

Additionally, there was a noticeable increase in sightings of charismatic species such as Great Egrets, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, Orchard Orioles, and Golden Eagles.

To showcase the species diversity and the popularity of local birding, I’ve compiled a selection of notable sightings for each month, crediting the observers. It’s remarkable to see the sheer number of dedicated birders in our area—one of the most active birding communities in Ontario. Equally fascinating is the productivity of certain “hotspots,” including the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons, the Hammer Family Nature Preserve on Pigeon Lake, Scriven Line, and Pengelley Landing.

I’d like to thank Kathryn Sheridan, editor of the Peterborough Field Naturalists’ newsletter The Orchid, for her diligent work in compiling sightings of note each month, most of which were originally shared on eBird.

January

15th: A sub-adult Golden Eagle was seen flying over Nephton Ridge near Stoney Lake by Luke Berg. 20th: Olivia Maillet and Andrew Brown saw a Red-headed Woodpecker at a feeder in Ennismore. 30th: Tim Haan spotted a Long-tailed Duck diving near the rail bridge just above Little Lake.

February

6th: A first-year Lesser Black-backed Gull was spotted by Jake Nafziger on Little Lake. 16th: Kale Worman saw a Merlin and a Northern Shrike at the Promise Rock Nature Area at Trent University. 21st: Two American Goshawks were spotted by Tim Dyson and Angela Mattos, circling over their property near Warsaw. They have recorded an amazing 200 species here over the years. 24th: Saw-whet Owls were heard by Jake Nafziger and Trevor MacLaurin at the Harold Town Conservation Area. 28th: Flocks of Tundra Swans were seen flying high over Peterborough by Mike Burrell, Luke Berg and 15-year-old local birding phenom, Leo Weiskittel. 

March

4th: Several people heard early American Woodcocks, including Ken Fulsang and Jeff Stewart in their Peterborough and Millbrook yards. 5th: American Wigeon and Gadwalls were being spotted regularly, including 4 Gadwall seen by Pam Martin near Hope Mill Conservation Area. 6th: A Northern Mockingbird was observed by Kale Worman on Douro Eighth Line. 7th: Marilyn Hubley and Sue Paradisis found a Greater White-fronted Goose in a field on Cty Rd 42 east of Norwood. 10th: Patrick Kramer spotted 3 Northern Pintails on Lower Chemong Lake. 17th: Kathryn Sheridan saw an early Osprey checking out a nesting platform near Hiawatha Line on Cty Rd 2.

April

6th: Steve Paul heard a Sora calling from the marsh along the Lang-Hastings Trail by Technology Drive. Bruce Kidd detected a Ruby-crowned Kinglet on Cty Rd 8 in Douro. 16th: Scott Gibson heard a Common Gallinule calling at the North Esson Line Wetland. 18th: A Red-necked Grebe was spotted by Leo Weiskittel on Little Lake. 19th: Peterborough County’s first-ever Barnacle Goose, a species native to Greenland, was found by Jake Nafziger foraging with Canada Geese in a field on Blezard Line. It was viewed by many. 22nd: Dave Milsom saw a Short-eared Owl on Scriven Road. 24th: Red-breasted Mergansers were seen on Pigeon Lake at John Earle Chase Park by Martyn Obbard. 27^th: Matthew Tobey found a Red-headed Woodpecker on Fothergill Island, Pigeon Lake. 29th: Brenda Kidd was surprised by a very early Ruby-throated Hummingbird at her feeder on 5th Line in Selwyn. 30th: Many species of migrating warblers were moving through. Northern Parulas, for example, were spotted on Oriole Drive (Sarah Jamieson), in Rotary Park (Matt Garvin), and near Lake Catchacoma (Peter Burke). A Black-throated Blue Warbler was heard by Kim Bennett on 11th Line, Selwyn.  

May

2nd: Least Bitterns were detected in the Cunningham Boulevard Stormwater Wetland by Talon Stryker and Samantha Welsh and in the Sawer Creek wetland on Lynch’s Rock Road

by Gerry Bird and Linda Sunderland. 3rd: Golden-winged Warblers were seen by Tim Haan on Corrigan Hill, Cathy Douglas on Hubble Road, and Colin Jones at Bellemere Winds Golf Club.

4th: Laurie Healey spotted an Orchard Oriole on the Lang Hastings Trail near Dillon Road in the same spot as 2023. 8th: A Red-headed Woodpecker was seen by Chris Lemieux on Duncan’s Line near Keene. Two days later, a pair were found by Hayden Wilson in the Hammer Family Nature Preserve. These are both reliable locations for this species. 13th: A Pectoral Sandpiper was found by Jerry Ball at the Assumption Road meltwater ponds. Later, a Wilson’s Phalarope was also seen here. 24th: Meg Heft observed 2 Black-bellied Plovers at the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons. On the 29^th, Dave Milsom discovered a Red-necked Phalarope foraging here, followed by a Ruddy Duck two days later. 30^th: Chris Risley counted 170 Chimney Swifts entering a long-time roosting chimney near Charlotte and George Streets.

June

11^th: A Prairie Warbler was heard at the Long Lake Access to Kawartha Highlands Park by Don Sutherland. 16^th: A group of 5 Great Egrets was spotted by Iain Rayner wading in the river at Auburn Reach. 20th: A Black-crowned Night Heron was spotted by Matt Lucas on the Omemee Rotary Trail.

July

6^th:  A Carolina Wren was seen by Scott McKinlay on Larmer Line, east of Millbrook. Yet another was heard by Ben Taylor three days later on Edgewater Blvd. 24^th: Cathy Douglas saw a Philadelphia Vireo while checking out Blue-gray Gnatcatchers on Mervin Line. 30^th: Amy Semple saw 2 Great Egrets along the Otonabee River just south of Lakefield.

August

4^th: Tony Barrett heard 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers calling at Whitfield Landing, near Fraserville.

6^th: A Black-backed Woodpecker was seen by Laurie Healey and Marilyn Hubley on Hubble Road. 18^th: Drew Monkman observed 6 migrating Common Nighthawks at Back Dam Park near Warsaw. This is a reliable spot to see nighthawks during late summer migration. 25^th: While kayaking in a bay south of Whitfield Landing near Fraserville, Marilyn Freeman encountered 21 Great Egrets. This may be a migration roosting site.

September

7^th: Jake Nafziger and Jax Nasimok spotted 6 American Golden-Plovers, a Whimbrel and Peterborough County’s first-ever Buff-breasted Sandpiper in a field on Scriven Line. 13^th: A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was seen by Erica Nol on Gilmour St. 18^th: A flock of 18 Common Terns was seen flying over Lakefield Marsh by Travis Cameron. Note: Great Egrets continued to show up all month long and persisted at some locations for several weeks.

October

4^th: Brian Wales found a Greater White-fronted Goose grazing with Canada Geese at Del Crary Park on Little Lake. 17^th: A flock of 40 Brant was seen by Bill Crins over Rice Lake at Pengelly Landing. 19^th: Angela Mattos and Tim Dyson observed 3 immature Golden Eagles soaring together over their Douro yard. Six more Golden Eagles were seen at various locations on Oct. 26. 25^th: Two female Black Scoters were seen by Chris Risley off of the Hammer Family Nature Preserve. All three scoter species regularly turn up here in late fall. 30^th: Peterborough County’s third-ever Western Cattle Egret was spotted by Jane Kroes, Laurie Healey and Marilyn Hubley in a field with cattle on Cedar Valley Rd. It was seen by many over the following weeks.

November

9^th: Angela Mattos and Tim Dyson discovered a Long-eared Owl in their Douro backyard. 20^th: Don Sutherland picked out a rare female Barrow’s Goldeneye at Pengelly Landing on Rice Lake. Two Snowy Owls were seen in Peterborough, one by Kale Worman and another by Leo Weiskittel. 22^nd: Leo found a Summer Tanager at Stornoway Place apartments. This is the second year in a row that this rare southern species has turned up in the city in November.

December

8^th: Leo Weiskittel found an extremely rare Harlequin Duck on the Otonabee River between Lock 25 and Lakefield. 15^th: The 85 participants in the 73^rd annual Peterborough Christmas Bird Count tallied an impressive 68 species, including a record-high 44 Red-bellied Woodpeckers.