On April 30th, looking out the main floor windows, Peter spied a large bird flapping its wings far up into our huge White Pine which is about 120 feet from the river and a similar distance from the house. If it hadn’t flapped its wings we would never have known the bird was there as we could only see the head clearly with binoculars when it bent forward to eat. To our astonishment, it was an Osprey eating a fish. It was spotted about 5:30 pm and it didn’t fly off downstream until 8 pm. We keep checking that tree in case the Osprey has returned but it’s probably asking too much for a repeat performance. But you never know….. Stephenie Armstrong, Keene
Today (Apr 30), the Virginia Rails were out on the edge of the Fairbairn Street Wetland, just north of the 3rd Line. On Apr. 29, I also found several on Douro 9th line above Highway 7. Carl Welbourn
Today, April 28, the only sighting I had was a Brown Thrasher singing up a storm on Moncrief Line. Carl Welbourn
On April 24 at a wet area south of the Warsaw Road on the 9th line of Douro there were 4 Lesser Yellowlegs. Carl Welbourn
At Meadowvale Park on Armour Rd today, April 23, I saw Ruby-crowned Kinglets (no photos), Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Palm Warbler. Also, the Great Horned Owl nesting in the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary heron rookery has been chased out by the return of the Great Blue Herons. Carl Welbourn
On the backside (east) of our house, a pair of American Robins is building a nest (1st year) for the past few days at the south end where the downspout turns from oblique to straight down. During the same days, during daylight hours, one of the pair has (in human terms) developed a compulsion to land on the concrete sill of either of the other 2 upstairs casement windows, and persistently peck at the glass of the window. One room is my wife’s study, and the other our guest bedroom. If it chased away, it will return within minutes and resume the pecking behaviour. The sound made by the pecking is audible upstairs and downstairs. It is loud and persistent enough to interfere with someone resting in the guest room. We are expecting guests in 10 days! Ian Sutherland
On April 15, I came across a flock of male Wood Ducks on Gold Lake in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. There were more than I could get in the shot. Cindy Bartoli
On the morning of April 15, a beautiful Snowy Owl showed up on Listowel Line in Selwyn Township. Harv Bell
I know that some Eastern Bluebirds have been around all winter but here is an image from April 12 at the intersection of Hayes Line & County Road 10. The Pileated Woodpecker was on a telephone pole beside what may be its nesting cavity. The pole is just south of Parkhill Road and Highway 7 on the east side of the road. Carl Welbourn
