Drew Monkman

Sightings

Orchard Oriole reports – rare in the Kawarthas!

Orchard Oriole (Orchard) (Icterus spurius spurius) (1) – Reported May 16, 2017 06:28 by Matthew Tobey – Airport Rd- Railroad, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2521363,-78.37056&ll=44.2521363,-78.37056 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36904608 – Media: 2 Photos, 1 Audio – Comments: “Singing male; Brown Line at the railroad tracks.” Orchard Oriole (Orchard) (Icterus spurius spurius) Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 16, 2017 ago

Sightings

Migrating Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at feeder

We’ve had two male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks visiting. We hope they realize they are welcome to stay as long as they like! We first saw them on May 9 and then again this week. Helen and Larry Keller

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 14, 2017 ago

Columns

The Wonder of Migration: Science is shedding new light on how and why many birds migrate each year

One of my greatest pleasures in May is the welcome sight and sound of songbirds returning right on cue from their southern wintering grounds. I was therefore delighted to hear a northern waterthrush belting out its emphatic double-note song at the start of the de Pencier Trail at the Trent Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 11, 2017 ago

Sightings

Great Egret near Kirkfield

I want to report a sighting of a Great Egret on May 10 southwest of Kirkfield. I believe the bird may be uncommon in this area. Sue Mcintosh

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 11, 2017 ago

Sightings

Hundreds of swallows swarming over Bridgenorth causeway

I have lived in the area for many years….and each year has a different flavour. Last week I noticed a large number of swallows (in the hundreds) flying near the Ennismore/Bridgenorth causeway. Each day they have been there swooping over and under cars, flying at windshields. Many are colliding with Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 10, 2017 ago

Sightings

Big hatch of mayflies on Indian River. Early date?

Yesterday, May 8th, about 4pm, we witnessed something we have never seen before. Hundreds of dead or dying mayflies were floating downstream carried by the brisk current or were gathering in the stillness of our little bay. The local fish population were taking full advantage of the sudden bounty. I Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 9, 2017 ago

Sightings

More migrants returning!

Today, May 5, I had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on my feeder. An American bittern has been in the wetland near our house since at least since April 26. Also, I saw my first Yellow Warbler on May 3. I have my hummingbird feeders out, but nothing yet.

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Sightings

Remnants of Winter and Pulses of Spring

Although it has been several weeks since hearing of any still around, Ed & Karen Heuvel reported to me a Great Gray Owl they had seen during the early evening on their property along the Ouse River between Cottesloe and Norwood on April 18, 2017. Ed says; “Huntng from a Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Columns

Kids Connect with Nature: Children and Nature Network conference underscores importance of kids spending time in nature

Take a moment to envision the most meaningful place of your childhood. There’s a good chance that it was somewhere outdoors. Ours, however, may be the last generation to remember what it’s like to deeply connect with nature. Why? Because children around the world today spend as much as 90% Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 4, 2017 ago

Sightings

Recent sightings of note

We were at the Ecology Park on the morning of April 23 and saw this male Yellow-rumped Warbler. Hallelujah for the return of spring! Helen and Larry Keller, Mark Street We have had a little Chipping Sparrow flying up against our windows Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 3, 2017 ago

Sightings

Great Blue Heron rookery near Campbellford

Returning from Campbellford on Saturday , April 29, I noticed that the nests in a heron rookery all contained birds settled down. This rookery is on County Rd 50 just south of Hwy 7 Carl Welbourn

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMay 1, 2017 ago

Sightings

Early Whip-poor-will near Lakefield

On April 26, I was extremely surprised and excited to hear a Whip-poor-will calling from the field out behind our house (7th Line Smith & Peacock St. area in Selwyn Township …. near the Otonabee River). It was about 8:45 pm when I heard it, and it “sang” it’s classic Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 27, 2017 ago

Sightings

Recent freeze-up and ice-out dates on Stoney Lake

The ice left Stoney Lake on April 12 this year, which is a little earlier than I had anticipated this year. I have included the dates of freeze-up and ice-out for the past few years. I know I have older records and will send them along. Freeze-up in 2015 was Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 26, 2017 ago

Sightings

Recent sightings

On the afternoon of April 23, Sylvia and I went for a walk in the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary. When up on the drumlin, where the Tree Swallow boxes are, we met two young women birders who said they had just seen what they thought was a Northern Mockingbird. Almost on Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Columns

Teaching Kids About Evolution (part 2): Celebrate Earth Day with kids by exploring the basics of evolution

One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is a sense of wonder in the natural world and how everything in nature can be explained by science and critical thinking. And nowhere is there a better example of the power of critical thinking than when it comes to Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 20, 2017 ago

Sightings

Great views of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Spring is springing forth at a rapid pace now – hard to keep up! I was so excited to see a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the brushy trees near our house this morning -just classic and unmistakable -white eye ring and white wing bars, and he even showed a bit of Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 14, 2017 ago

Columns

Teaching Evolution to Kids (Part 1): Celebrate Earth Day by helping kids grasp the wonder of how species came to be

Kids make great amateur scientists. They love to ask “why” questions. “Why is the monarch butterfly so colourful? Why does it start life as a caterpillar? Why does it migrate? Thanks to Charles Darwin, we now understand that questions such as these are entitled to an evidence-based answer – and Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 13, 2017 ago

Sightings

Beautiful shot of a pair of Wild Turkeys

A pair of bearded hen and tom Wild Turkeys photographed April 8 near Peterborough. Doug Gibson

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Columns

Urban Brook Trout At Risk: Peterborough teen’s research reveals natural wonders of city’s Harper Creek

When I used to hear the words ‘brook trout’, the image that came to mind was a pristine lake in Algonquin Park. Well, that image has changed. What I now see is a tiny stream running along Rye Street in this busy commercial and industrial sector of southwest Peterborough. As Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 6, 2017 ago

Sightings

Ospreys and first loons are back!

Happy spring! Today, April 4, there were 2 Osprey on the nesting platform in Young’s Point. Most of Stony is still frozen but there were pair of absolutely resplendent Common Loons dancing and calling. Rob Welsh, Stoney Lake This morning, April 5, I heard my first Common Loon (Upper Buckhorn Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 6, 2017 ago

A Changing Climate

Climate change impacting ‘most’ species on Earth, even down to their genome

Three recent studies point to just how broad, bizarre, and potentially devastating climate change is to life on Earth. And we’ve only seen one degree Celsius of warming so far. Source: The Guardian Author: Jeremy Hance Date: Wednesday 5 April 2017 Climate change is rapidly becoming a crisis that defies Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

A Changing Climate

Climate-driven species on the move are changing (almost) everything

Source: The Conversation: Academic rigor, journalistic flair Date: April 5, 2017 Authors: Gretta Pecl: Deputy Associate Dean Research, ARC Future Fellow & Editor in Chief (Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries), University of Tasmania; Adriana Verges, Senior Lecturer in marine ecology, UNSW Ekaterina Popova: Senior Lecturer in marine ecology, UNSW; Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 5, 2017 ago

Sightings

A rare visit from a Virginia Opossum

My wife, Mathilde, spotted a Virginia Opossum in our backyard on the evening of March 24 at around 9:30. We saw the white face and body by the light from our livingroom windows. It was eating a pomegranate that she had set out for some robins. Ralph Colley

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 3, 2017 ago

Sightings

You never know what will happen when you call in owls!

On March 23 at about 5 pm, I used a hooting call to lure in this fabulous Barred Owl. To our surprise, a female also showed up. They quickly mated, and then hung around for a bit before going their separate ways. We were in the vicinity of Sandy Lake Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Sightings

Some recent spring sightings

April 2 – I heard a Wilson’s Snipe quietly calling in the marshy area on the Parkway trail, east of Chemong, directly underneath the WalMart parking lot. Also, 3 Northern Leopard Frogs hopping along the new not-yet-opened road that skirts east of the airport as well as 3 Killdeer in Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsApril 2, 2017 ago

Sightings

Fairy shrimp in Harper Park vernal pool

I had the pleasure of wading around in a vernal pool at Harper Park in Peterborough this afternoon and found 100’s of fairy shrimp (Eubranchipus sp.). They are an indicator species for vernal pools. Wood Frogs breed in this same pool. The pool has lots of ice in it still, Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

CLIMATE CHANGE COLUMNS

A Spring Nature Almanac: Timing of events in nature increasingly affected by climate change

As we turn the corner into spring, let’s pause a moment to reflect back on the winter that’s been. For many people, the temperate weather was a blessing, with only moderate snowfall and temperatures well above average. Yes, the abnormally mild winter did make life easier for most of us. Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMarch 23, 2017 ago

Sightings

More Tundra Swan sightings

On March 20, there were 27 Tundra Swans on Lake Chemong across from my house which is located on Frankhill Rd. Paul Ruth, 668 Frank Hill Rd. Tundra Swan (Whistling) (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) (10) – Reported Mar 20, 2017 12:11 by Luke Berg – Keene–McGregor Bay Rd south of Hwy Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMarch 22, 2017 ago

Sightings

A good first day of spring

It was a good first day of spring for river sightings on our stretch of the Indian River. The pair of Canada Geese, first seen on February 26, came up onto the back area to check out the availability of grass. Conclusion – not much there! The geese tend to Read more…

By Drew Monkman, 7 years ago

Sightings

Don McLeod’s Nature Blog

Check out great photos of tracks from Don McLeod’s Nature Blog. Some are from a Peterborough Field Naturalist outing in early February of this year. Click here

By Drew Monkman, 7 yearsMarch 11, 2017 ago

Drew Monkman

I am a retired teacher, naturalist and writer with a love for all aspects of the natural world, especially as they relate to seasonal change.