I was very surprised to see a pair of Eastern Bluebirds in my garden this morning, December 18, at about 9.30 a.m. The male was sitting on top of the clothesline pole and the female was on the line itself. I live near Warsaw and often have bluebirds nesting in Read more…
On December 10, a male Red-bellied Woodpecker arrived on our property and has been here ever since. It is feasting on black oil sunflower seeds at a windowsill feeder. We can view the bird from only a couple of feet away! It’s the first time we’ve ever seen one. Neil Read more…
After reading your column last week I was reminded of a very special visitor in my backyard on December 23, 2015. The bird spent the day in our locust tree. It was the first time that I have actually seen a Great Horned Owl. They are magnificent birds. Thought you Read more…
Volunteers on Jack Lake have participated in the Canada Lakes Loon Survey (CLLS) since the program was initiated in the early 1980s. In recent years we have engaged additional volunteers so that the entire lake could be surveyed during the months of June, July and August. We recently made an effort Read more…
I received an email from Gwen McMullen in Warsaw. Her son, Sandy, works at the Unimin Mine and lives on the Galesburg South Road. He drives to work along County Road #6 to the mine. On November 28, he emailed his mom, saying: “I was seeing groups of eagles all Read more…
We live on Clear Lake and have had a number of tress chopped down by a Beaver this fall. I put out a camera to record the activity and this video shows the Beaver at work on Nov. 30. Enjoy! John McGregor, Clear Lake beaver-at-clear-lake-john-mcgregor-nov-30-2016
We saw four swans on Tuesday morning (December 14), feeding together along the Otonabee River, south of Lakefield… beautiful!. At least one had a yellow spot near the eye and I wonder if they could be Tundra Swans. No tags were visible on any of the birds. We saw them Read more…
I greatly enjoyed your article (Dec. 15) about the Gray Jay. I also had a very pleasant and memorable encounter with this intelligent and lovable bird. In 1971 we took our children and those of our neighbours in Ottawa on our annual hike to High Falls near Petroglyphs Provincial Park. Read more…
Despite the drought of 2016, the apple crop sure seemed to be bumper. Everyone I know who has them growing in their yards seems to agree. I wouldn’t know, but perhaps apple trees like a good dry spell every now and then. There are a dozen apple trees in the Read more…
The Northern Flicker was back on December 6 trying to find space in the crab-apple tree with the 2 dozen American Robins that were there. On December 5, the Cooper’s Hawk returned, flushing out a dozen Mourning Doves from the spruce. Early Monday morning I was entertained by a young Read more…
Upon waking up on December 5, there were eight white, fluffy circles in the ice on the pond adjacent to our house. At 10:00 am, I snapped the first two photos. Now it’s 2:30 pm and I am home to a melting scene but as you can see the circles Read more…
Most readers are probably now aware that the Royal Canadian Geographical Society has chosen the gray jay as Canada’s national bird. It beat out better-known contenders like the common loon and snowy owl in a countrywide vote, followed by a panel debate. Personally, I think the gray jay fits the Read more…
On December 10 at 3:20 pm, five Sandhill Cranes flew over my house on Highway 7 in Havelock. They were flying from south to north. Ulrike Kullik, Havelock
On December 8, I observed a flock of approximately 100 Bohemian Waxwings feeding on berries in a tree at the corner of Ravenwood Drive and Parkhill Road. Along the Trans-Canada Trail near Lily Lake (between Jackson’s Park and Ackison Road) I also had approximately 50 American Robins. King Baker
Looking back at the fall of 2016, the warming trend that is affecting the entire planet was certainly noticeable in the Kawarthas. While the average temperature for October was only 1 C above normal (compared to the mean temperature for 1971 – 2000), both September and November were nearly 2 Read more…
I just want to let you know that the Sandhill Crane reported by Gavin Hunter on November 28 was still present this morning (December 6). It is in a field kitty corner to the church at the junction of Buckhorn Road and Curve Lake Road. David Beaucage Johnson
I would like to report Evening Grosbeak sightings at our bird feeder. We first saw just one about a week ago but today, December 3, there must have been at least 8-10 coming. They started coming at about 11:00 am and kept coming back about every half hour or so. Read more…
On November 20, we had 8 Pine Grosbeaks at our feeder. They only stayed for an hour or so, however, and we haven’t seen them since. During this past summer, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, along with their young, came to the feeder regularly. Two families nested in the woodlot behind our house. Read more…
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) – Reported Dec 03, 2016 09:01 by Peterborough County Birds Database – Pigeon Lake–Fothergill Isle Causeway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32834457 – Comments: “Continuing bird; similar size to nearby White-winged Scoter; brownish body with paler brown head” Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) (1) – Read more…
We have a daily visitor in our yard at 18 Eldon Ct, just north of the Peterborough Golf and Country Club in Peterborough. This Barred Owl comes to visit usually once or twice a day. It is able to sit in the line of trees along Thompson Creek and spot Read more…
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (1) – Reported Nov 30, 2016 13:00 by Bruce Kidd – Peterborough–Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “between cemetery and Beavermead Beach” Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) (1) – Reported Dec 01, 2016 14:12 by Dan Chronowic – Peterborough – Little Lake – Read more…
“The woods are wide and full of wonders, but we boys were mere counters, nibblers and sniffers at her mysteries. Just two skinny lads roaming fields like foxes searching for whatever we could find. Here a quartz rock, there an emerald snake, and over there a woodcock’s nest.” Local author Read more…
On Monday, November 28, I had a Northern Flicker on my front lawn and 4 Eastern Bluebirds flitting about my orchard. Michael Gillespie, David Fife Line, east of Keene
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Nov 29, 2016 12:09 by Matthew Tobey – Pinewood Drive + Stenson Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 1 Photo – Comments: “First winter bird. Northeast corner of the park by the concrete inlet. Tended to skulk in dense Read more…
Iain Rayner found a female King Eider this morning off of the Fothergill Isle causeway on Pigeon Lake. Don Sutherland and I observed the bird before lunch; it is with a large mixed flock of ducks south of Thorne Island. It is very distant and hard to see even with Read more…
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) (1) – Reported Nov 27, 2016 16:30 by Toby Rowland – Peterborough – Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32761922 – Comments: “adult in winter plumage” Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) (1) – Reported Nov 27, 2016 16:30 by Toby Rowland – Peterborough – Little Read more…
On November 26, I saw a Sandhill Crane land in a field kitty corner from the church at the corner of Curve Lake Road and County Road 23, south of Buckhorn. Gavin Hunter
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (2) – Reported Nov 25, 2016 14:55 by Dave Milsom – Rice Lake–Pengelly Landing, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “small bodies, short bills, in middle of large flock of Canadas.” Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) (2) – Reported Nov 26, 2016 09:06 by Daniel Read more…
On November 24, I had American Tree Sparrows feeding on spilled seed under the feeders. Bill Snowden, Ennismore
A few small flock of male Red-winged Blackbirds has been coming to the feeder these last two days. Mainly feeding on the ground on spilled seed. Bill Snowden, Ennismore