At about 10 a.m.one day last week, I saw a “white owl” (a Snowy Owl, presumably) on the Hawkins property by the side of the road (Hawkins Road/6th Line) . As I slowed the car down, it flew off at a low level to a huge rock in Hawkins field. Read more…
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) – Reported Dec 06, 2013 12:12 by Chris Risley – Peterborough–Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2965341,-78.3105472&ll=44.2965341,-78.3105472 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15875918 – Comments: “brown body white cheek patch; diving in riffled current near fireworks station in middle of Little Lake; viewed from entrance to cemetery”
I just wanted to let you know that I had a Cooper’s Hawk in my backyard today on Tudor Crescent. Over the past 5-6 years, we have had dozens of visits by this hawk. I’m sure it comes to hunt the songbirds that come to feed in our crab apples,birches, Read more…
A White-throated Sparrow has been a constant presence (every day/all day) on our patio since its arrival a week ago. The nuthatch and chickadees don’t seem to bother it. It hit the window on Saturday but was only stunned only for about 10 minutes. My wife watched over it until it Read more…
Great Horned Owl (Great Horned) (Bubo virginianus [virginianus Group]) – Reported Dec 03, 2013 20:15 by Luke Berg – Peterborough–Trent University Nature Reserve, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3486498,-78.2882738&ll=44.3486498,-78.2882738 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15844574
On Sunday, November 24, 2013 between Lindsay and Little Britain on the Little Britain Road, there was a Golden Eagle perched in a tree beside the road. I had to turn around and go back to make sure. It finally took off and I headed home to check my bird Read more…
Heavy bodied and long-legged, Moose (Alces alces) are the largest inhabitants of the boreal forest. A mature bull can easily weigh 1000 lbs and measure almost seven feet tall at the top of the back hump. In late September, Moose are in rut – a period of high sexual energy Read more…
Today, we saw a Great Blue Heron flying over Cumberland Avenue in the North End of Peterborough at about 1 p.m. It was heading south. Are they still supposed to be around, what are they eating? Jim and Suzanne Fulton (Every year a few herons linger in the Kawarthas until Read more…
While walking yesterday morning (Nov. 30 at 8am) we spotted a large grey owl. It was perched on a tree branch out in the open and flew slowly to another tree as we approached. It was large and grey with no ear tufts. I’m quite sure it was a Great Read more…
Our Red-bellied Woodpecker has just come back. He had disappeared in the spring, but it seems he likes to winter at our feeder. Our son took this photo yesterday, Nov. 30th. Janet Johnstone and Doug Latham, 1771 Cameron Line, Asphodel-Norwood
Great Black-backed Gull – Reported Nov 30, 2013 11:50 by Chris Risley – Peterborough–Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2965341,-78.3105472&ll=44.2965341,-78.3105472 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15806285 – Comments: “continuing bird; on ice off Rogers Cove beach”
We had a shrike sitting on top of our corkscrew hazel this morning. Not sure which one. At first, we thought it was a Gray Jay but it had a definite black stripe through the eye. I was amazed as I’ve never seen one before and I’ve lived here for Read more…
After an absence of several months, a single Red-bellied Woodpecker has returned. He comes to the feeder about every three days. Paul Money, Ida
This morning, we saw a Bald Eagle, followed by a possible Golden Eagle, near Fothergill Isle where the ice and water meet. There must be a dead fish or animal out there that they are interested in. Rose Rogers Fothergill Isle, Pigeon Lake Ennismore,ON
I saw a Great Blue Heron today along Meade Creek at Beavermead Park. Crazy bird! Catherine Paradisis
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) (1) – Reported Nov 24, 2013 09:43 by Donald Sutherland – Mount Pleasant–3 km SSE on Stewart Line, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2407219,-78.4656617&ll=44.2407219,-78.4656617 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15749302 – Comments: “observed sitting on ground around 100m N of Stewart Line to E of #1132 Stewart Line (B. McClennan Read more…
This pair of Wild Turkeys has been around the Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School neighbourhood (Paddock Wood, Whitaker Street) since early June. We never know when or where they will show up.They have been hanging around our condo now since Thanksgiving. They are very tame and will walk right up Read more…
I ended up seeing a whopping 32 Monarchs this season, after all. In addition, I made a list of all the Giant Swallowtails (87!) I saw – including a few that were observed as roadkills – from August 20th to September 10th or thereabouts. They were all during the second Read more…
I am writing to report my sighting of a Great Horned Owl. I saw it around 2:30 pm, Thursday, November 7th at Beavermead Park. I spotted it when my dog and I were walking through the campground. We walked under a large willow, spooked it, where it took to flight Read more…
I saw a large but rather pale looking Eastern Garter Snake on a tree stump this afternoon, Nov. 15, basking in the sun. There is a nice size hole nearby that I have seen this or another snake using this fall. It could be a hibernation spot. I will keep Read more…
A naturalist on the Moose hunt – part one I had rarely experienced such intense silence. Yes, there were sounds, but they were the sounds of undisturbed nature – the whispering of spruce and birch swaying in the wind, the harsh chatter of a disgruntled Red Squirrel and the loud Read more…
At 8:00 a.m. this morning, a lone immature Trumpeter Swan glided past our place, around the island & back towards Campbelltown. I am glad to see swans are still close by! Sharon Simpkins, Hiawatha
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) – Reported Nov 13, 2013 08:35 by Brittany Milligan – Peterborough–Beavermead Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.2938973,-78.3027537&ll=44.2938973,-78.3027537 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15671322
On Wednesday morning (Nov. 13) at around 9 a.m., Luke Berg had a flock of about 40 Bohemian Waxwings in University Heights. These birds are annual visitors to the Kawarthas. This morning, I saw about a dozen Bohemians at Fairbairn and McCrea Drive. Bohemian Waxwings are slightly larger than Cedar Read more…
A late fall Kawartha’s nature almanac In late fall in the Kawarthas, a pre-winter stillness settles upon the land. The calls of migrating sparrows and kinglets cease, most robins bid us farewell and the last crickets surrender to the cold. Damp, often cloudy weather, leafless trees and faded grasses Read more…
I found a strange plant this week in a local bush in Otonabee Township. According to Bill Crins of the OMNR, it is Strawberry-blite (Chenopodium capitatum), an uncommon native plant and member of the goosefoot family. Rick Stankiewicz, Keene
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Nov 10, 2013 07:30 by Iain Rayner – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.4180879,-78.2587266&ll=44.4180879,-78.2587266 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15643936 – Comments: “Large falcon, black contrasting helmet to white throat and chest. Have pictures… Took a run, low across the pond, at a Read more…
Eleven years ago I had planted three American Chestnut trees (a once-abundant species in Ontario that has almost completely disappeared as a result of a fungus; now new varieties are being developped) on our property south of Kinmount. Last last year one of them produced nuts. I had hoped to harvest Read more…
Today, we had an Eastern Phoebe, two Eastern Bluebirds and a Cloudy Sulphur butterfly enjoying the warmth around the south side of the barn. Later in the afternoon, while kayaking on Rice Lake , south of MacGregor Bay Rd., I saw a Bald Eagle circling around one of the suspected Read more…
Note: In the original version of this article, as published in the Examiner on Nov. 7, several large blocks of text were accidentally omitted. The article is to be reprinted in the next day or two. “Jackson Park…Amazing, Fun…Listening, Discovering, Watching… Bike Rides, Water Falls…Running, Sitting, Staring…Peaceful, Colourful…Nature” Catherine Read more…