Drew Monkman

A Common Nighthawk circled over my house in the west end of Peterborough at 6:30 p.m. today. It’s the first I’ve seen/heard in Peterborough this spring. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

A bike ride to and through a woodlot at Mt. Julian turned up a few interesting birds, among them: Red-headed Woodpecker (1), Eastern Wood Pewee (1), Yellow-throated Vireo (5+), Red-eyed Vireo (many), Black-and-white Warbler (2), Ovenbird (many), Northern Waterthrush (1), Common Yellow-throat (3), Yellow Warbler (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (3), Pine Read more…

Today I saw and heard a male Blue-winged Warbler on Co. Rd. 44, about 1.2 km east of the Cty Rd. 6 junction (near the south-east corner of Stony Lake), very close to the large wooden Douro-Dummer Township sign. Tony Bigg and Anne Anthony found a Blue-winged Warbler on June Read more…

Warblers in our yard yesterday included a male Chestnut-sided, drinking water from the birdbath, and male Nashville, preening itself in our blossom-laden Juneberry tree. Quite a beautiful sight! Today, a female Blackburnian was singing and came in quite close in response to pishing.. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

This morning, while alking along the trail bordering the west side of the canal, just south of Nassau Mills Road, oriole song was everywhere. Also calling were a Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbirds, Warbling Vireos and Northern Waterthrushes. There are some nice stands of wildflowers in the woods along this Read more…

Working in the garden today, migrant birdsong was dominated by White-crowned Sparrows. Ruby-crowned Kinglets were also singing. A Grey Catbird was in the yard, too, as well as a Baltimore Oriole. Our two Pin Cherry’s are at their peak blossom as is our Juneberry. Dandelion is also at or close Read more…

New migrants were evident in small numbers on each of the last two mornings. All sightings were around our home at Mt. Julian. May 8: Least Flycatcher (2), Blue-headed Vireo (1), Ovenbird (3), Nashville Warbler (3), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), Palm Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (1), Black-throated Green Warbler (4),Yellow-rumped Warbler Read more…

Today the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds returned. There are also many Baltimore Orioles being sighted in Youngstown subdivision in Ennismore. Our feeders are very busy at this moment. Location: Ennismore Observer: Marilyn Emery

We have had a Harris’ Sparrow at our feeder for the past three days. My field guides indicate that this sparrow winters in the central U.S. then migrates north to Manitoba/Saskatchewant. So, it would appear to be far east of its normal range. (Note: This is an extremely rare bird Read more…

An osprey.was found today – dead with a broken wing. Apparently, just before I got there, another osprey swooped down and flipped the carcass over. Aggresion? Affection? There were no overhead wires present. I also saw 4 eagles this week. They were quite high, circling and drifting north. Location: Stony Read more…

As cool, damp weather continues, Amelanchier is at flowering peak throughout the city right now. I saw my first Chimney Swift flying over the Otonabee with numerous swallows early this evening. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

My first Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrived back today. Location: Cavan Observer: Cheryl Covert

The PFN Sunday outing traveled this morning to the south-east of the county. On Blezard Line we were able to watch a Solitary Sandpiper from up close in a large flooded field to the west of the road. Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs were feeding together making the ID easy for Read more…

Today, a culvert near the hamlet of Douro still contained large numbers of Canadian Worms (Aporrectodea tuberculata) swimming under the water. The worms average about 4″ to 6″ long. On April 21st, the mass was about 6′ by 4′ by 6″ and probably included many thousands of individual worms. In Read more…

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were singing on Maple Cresecent this morning and on Gilmour Street. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman, Erica Nol

Today, I flushed two separate Song Sparrows from their nests next to trails. One had 4 eggs, the other 5. Location: Cavan Creek Observer: Scott McKinlay

A Baltimore Oriole appeared in our yard today. Location: Bethel Road, Emily Township Observer: Doug Lawson

Pin Cherry and Juneberry (Amelanchier) are now in bloom in my yard. With the continued cool, wet weather, there were large numbers of swallows -mostly Tree Swallows – feeding over the Otonabee today between the zoo and Lakefield. In most sections of the river where I stopped (as far north Read more…

The cool weather this week, with night-time temperatures a few degrees below zero, has temporarily slowed the progression of leaf-out. As we begin May, the maples are still mostly clad in flowers with leaves just beginning to emerge. The overall appearance is one of a green pastel gauze. There are Read more…

During the snow storm this afternoon, I was at the end of North School Rd in Youngs Point at the marsh, and there were lots of White Trilliums already in bloom. I don’t think I have ever seen that in April before. I also got to view an American Woodcock Read more…

We are now seeing a Brown Thrasher and several White-throated and White-crowned sparrows at our feeder. A Wild Turkey crossed our lawn. Location: Lily Lake Road Observer: Gord Mallory

Today, while walking the dogs in Petroglyphs Provincial Park, we heard an Ovenbird singing along the park road just north of the entrance kiosk. Location: Petroglyphs Provincial Park Observer: Don Sutherland

Today, while conducting chorus frog surveys in the Ennismore-Buckhorn-Nogies Creek area, I encountered Northern Waterthrushes at more than a dozen sites, a single singing Palm Warbler and a House Wren. Lots of herps: Midland Chorus Frogs (calling at 37 locations, some of which had been ice- and snow-bound last weekend), Read more…

Today, while working in the yard, I heard and saw a Least Flycatcher (early be at least two weeks) and a Red Admiral butterfly. Ruby-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows were singing all day, as well. Unlike Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowneds respond well to pishing. One came within a metre of me. Read more…

At our feeders at Mt Julian (Twp. North Kawartha) we observed an influx of White-throated Sparrows, accompanied by our first White-crowned Sparrow. A single, lingering Evening Grosbeak was joined by four Pine Siskins and three Purple Finches. In the nearby woods we saw/heard Black-throated Green (2), Blackburnian Warbler (1) & Read more…

We saw our first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year. Location: Bethel Road, Emily Township Observer: Doug Lawson

This morning, while cycling around the Forest Hill-Pinehill Dr. neighbourhood between Parkhill and Weller, in Peterborough, I encountered three Bohemian Waxwings (late date?) in a flock of 23 Cedar Waxwings on Fenwood Circle. (N.B. This is a very late date for Bohemians to still be in our area. They usually Read more…