Yesterday, November 4, around 4 pm, a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew over Lakefield. They flew from the south and seemed to be heading NW. We estimate over 30 birds. They were followed by a small flock of about 10 a few minutes later. Wonderful sight and sound. Bill Buddle
Big changes in the landscape will soon be a reality in the Kawarthas as extensive growth is looming on the horizon. For many, there is a fear that our region could easily lose its “nearby nature” character and become another Ajax or Barrie – in other words, a landscape that Read more…
On October 26, while raising a dock for a client on Quarry Bay on the north shore of Stoney Lake at early dusk, I paused a moment when I thought I heard Sandhill Cranes. A few seconds later, I could hear them again, and looked up at what had to Read more…
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) (1) – Reported Oct 30, 2016 09:00 by Kim Clark – Highway 2, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) (2) – Reported Oct 26, 2016 07:29 by Mark D. Read – *Douro Eighth Line yard, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Read more…
We found this Spotted Salamander on the road last Sunday at Catchacoma Lake. The hand in the glove is a friend from Bogota, Colombia, who ended up staying at our cottage through means both circuitous and fortuitous. He loved our northern woods and was transported by the idea of being Read more…
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) (1) – Reported Oct 31, 2016 10:45 by Iain Rayner – Ptbo – Trent Lakes Municipal Office, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 2 Photos – Comments: “Adult circling pretty low overhead. Loosely associating with RTHA. Reddish body, reddish arms, translucent crescents and multi Read more…
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Nov 02, 2016 12:00 by Matthew Garvin – PTBO – Edgewater road and Railway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 1 Photo – Comments: “Robin size bird but slimmer with longer cocked tail. All gray with black cap. Seen well, Read more…
The American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is in full bloom now (Oct. 25) at my home in Ennismore. Foliage has turned yellow but has not dropped. Bill Snowden
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Oct 27, 2016 13:40 by Chris Risley – Downtown, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3033988,-78.3186717&ll=44.3033988,-78.3186717 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32255249 – Comments: “large raptor, sideburns visible; perched on provincial logo on west side of provincial government building at 300 Water St.” Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) Read more…
Once again this fall, I’ve been kept busy meeting the food demands of the hordes of birds that have descended upon my yard and feeders. At least two dozen white-throated sparrows have been gorging themselves on the millet finch mix I scatter on the ground. These small seeds have also Read more…
In October, our attention is drawn to leaves like at no other time of year. They never cease to astound us with their blazing colours and wonderful, spicy smell as we rake them into piles. For the rest of the year, however, we mostly take leaves for granted. They just Read more…
I had a female Eastern Towhee rustling around in the leaves this morning in my backyard. That brings the total number of bird species I have seen in my yard to 60! Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent
Just to let you know, I’ve seen our first Dark-eyed Junco today (October 9), and yesterday, our first Purple Finch. And the sunflower seeds are being devoured at an alarming rate by the Black-capped Chickadees, and both the Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches. The seasons are a-changing. Stephenie Armstrong, Warsaw Note: Read more…
I am looking for your opinion on some bird behaviour in our yard that we are finding quite amusing. We have a large flock of ducks that we feed on our shoreline in the hopes of giving them a safe haven away from the hunters !! There are about 50 ducks Read more…
Walking through the woods and fields of the Kawarthas in early October when the landscape is ablaze with colour is a fall tradition for many local residents. Not only do you feel closer to friends and family, but there is an indelible “sense of place” and connection to the land. Read more…
I came across this little Eastern Milksnake on a dirt road at Gannons Narrows on Pigeon Lake at about 1:30 pm October 2. It is only 6-7 inches long and was stretched out. The dog walked over it and I thought it was dead, but when I bent down to Read more…
For many years the city American Crows roosted near the Kawartha Golf and Country Club grounds. Recently I noticed a lot of crow calling (before the sun is up) coming from the north of my location at Fairbairn and Raymond Streets. This morning I stepped out my front door at Read more…
I came across this flock of Rusty Blackbirds at about 4 PM on October 4 on the Trans Canada Trail (Jackson Creek section). They were flying around the marsh west of Lily Lake in a flock of about twenty similarly-sized birds. On October 7, the Rusty Blackbirds seemed to be Read more…
On October 7, I was traveling just North of #7 Hwy at the 12th line of Dummer An American Pipit was viewed for over 5 minutes as the bird walked the edges of the roadway. Its white flanked tail, white throat and buff breast with very faint striking wereclearly visible. It Read more…
We’re enjoying large numbers of White-throated Sparrows in our yard right now. Probably two dozen at least. They are eating the millet I scatter around the base of the feeder and nearby shrubs. The odd White-throat occasionally breaks into a weaker version of its spring “Oh sweet Canada…Canada…Canada” song. Any Read more…
Eastern Screech-Owl (Northern) (Megascops asio [asio Group]) (1) – Reported Sep 25, 2016 20:16 by Luke Berg – Peterborough–Mervin Line, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Singing on the south side of the road about 200m west of the east end of the road. ” Great Horned Owl Read more…
The Monarch I’ve been monitoring emerged from its chrysalis on September 18. It is the only one I have been able to find. The other caterpillars I was watching disappeared. My parents have sightings of at least a couple other Monarchs. Sean McMullen Warsaw Note: A Monarch visited our garden Read more…
Here are a couple of photos from this week. The Common Loon chick eating something was photographed on September 20 on the River Road, south of Lakefield. The Merlin picture was taken September 16 at our club shoot in Millennium Park. Carl Welbourne
The marsh at the south end of TV Road had three Great Egrets last evening ( 21 Sept 16) Carl Welbourn Kawartha Camera Club
I have spent some evenings this summer with some of my moth friends of the Noctuid group. Underwings, (genus – Catocala), are a fascinating bunch when one puts out bait repeatedly, night after night, to attract them. Some, like most nocturnal moths, will come to lights at night, but nothing Read more…
A love of nature begins in childhood; every boy and girl is a budding naturalist. This should come as no surprise. Up until the agricultural revolution and, later, the emigration into villages and cities, humans grew up and lived in intimate contact with natural environments. Survival depended on detailed knowledge Read more…
Six species of ducks at Lakefield Sewage Lagoons right now: 38 Wood Ducks, 4 Mallards, 2 Northern Shovelers, 1 Greater Scaup, 7 Lesser Scaups, and 9 Hooded Mergansers. – Reported Sep 18, 2016 08:17 by Daniel Williams – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “S cell, Read more…
Looking back at the summer of 2016, two words come immediately come to mind: drought and heat. August was a whopping 3.7 C warmer than the 1971-2000 average, while as of this week, September is about 3 C above normal temperatures. As for precipitation, July only saw one-third of normal Read more…
Thought I would send you these photos of a baby Snapping Turtle. I removed 10 from my river road on Friday, Sept 9th. My friend on Nogies Creek had 6 baby Blanding’s hatch on Labour Day after they had covered up the nest to protect it from predators. Marie Windover, Read more…
Peterborough ON – September 7 2016. Latest evaluation performed by the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) of Loggerhead Marsh, located in the city’s west end, has classified Loggerhead Marsh as a provincially significant wetland. Based on available information on the marsh and its wildlife and using the Read more…