Drew Monkman

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

  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

Yesterday while walking the dog on the rail trail west of Ackison Road I saw a Belted Kingfisher at the swamp at the Johnson Road intersection; also several Woolly Bear caterpillars and one unidentified black and yellow caterpillar on the trail. See pictures below. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.345401142164440.71296.219082701462952&type=1&l=78ecbd7da3 Sherry Hambly, Peterborough

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Nov 06, 2013 07:25 by Iain Rayner – Ptbo – Water St., Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3133836,-78.3194076&ll=44.3133836,-78.3194076 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15583133 – Comments: “Large falcon. Direct flight, not low and dashy like a Merlin. Flew north over Water & Hunter St. Intersection. In silhouette. Read more

American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) (1) – Reported Nov 02, 2013 17:30 by Laura Gardner – Trent Wildlife Sanctuary, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.347944,-78.2859135&ll=44.347944,-78.2859135 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15557319 – Comments: “bird was flushed from meadow area and flew within a couple of feet of me – located along the blue trail (southeast Read more

Mid-afternoon yesterday for a half hour or more I saw and photographed a ‘black’ squirrel whose end of tail hair was snow white for 5 inches or so. Leucistic, I guess. The hair wasn`t just frosted,  it was white for its entire length, which the close-ups show.  There were three other normal black-coloured Gray Read more

View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN34560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Northern Shrike (American) (Lanius excubitor borealis/invictus) (1) – Reported Oct 30, 2013 09:15 by Sarah Bonnett – 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=S15542282 Redhead (Aythya americana) (3) – Reported Oct 30, Read more

  Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) (1) – Reported Oct 28, 2013 20:30 by Marianne Clark – Peterborough Cty–536 Golf Course Rd., Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.5332859,-78.1407698&ll=44.5332859,-78.1407698 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15531676 – Comments: “began calling (“skew” call) a few minutes after I began playing a NSWO recording. Continued to call for Read more

Last night, October 31st, I had the window open for the warm air, despite the high wind and rain. I was awakened at some point not by either of those, but by a very loud Eastern Screech-Owl, the first I’ve heard in our neighborhood. Other screech-owls I’ve encountered had given quite Read more

Walking the Trans-Canada Trail on Monday, October 28, I came across a flock of three American Tree Sparrows – my first of the fall – along with a Fox Sparrow and a single American Goldfinch. The tree sparrows will spend the winter here. Later, three Golden-crowned Kinglets responded to my Read more

  Report from October 5, 2013 I have found two more patches of Carrion Flower (Smilax herbacea), also known as Coprosmanthus herbaceus . (It is a tendril-bearing plant with a stem that arches over bushes like a vine. The flowers are very ill-smelling. The fruit is a cluster of black-blue berries. Read more

  This weekend saw the first sightings of  Snow Buntings this fall.  An Arctic-nesting species, the birds no doubt took advantage of the winds blowing from the north to facilitate their flight southward. Snow Buntings are common in the Kawartha all winter and often gather in flocks of several hundred Read more

*** Species Summary: – Canvasback – Redhead – Northern Shrike Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) (1) – Reported Oct 25, 2013 08:45 by Jason Straka – 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=S15488072 – Comments: “Male.  Brown head and gray back.  Large duck with large, heavy, black bill.  Diving.  Read more

With today’s cool temperatures and powdering of snow, the birds were once again flocking to my backyard this morning. Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were feeding on the niger seed and finch mix I scattered in small piles on the ground, while Northern Cardinals, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Black-capped Chickadees were Read more

At least 20 Dark-eyed Juncos appeared in the yard this morning, probably having taken advantage of the north winds to move southward with the cold front that has arrived. They are eating the niger seed I’ve scattered in small piles on the ground. A Hermit Thrush was with them as Read more

Species Summary: – Brant – Surf Scoter – Red-breasted Merganser – Red-throated Loon – Lesser Yellowlegs – Eastern Screech-Owl – Horned Lark – American Pipit – Lapland Longspur ——————————————— View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN34560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Brant (Branta bernicla) (50) CONFIRMED – Read more

On Sunday, October 20th, I led a group of 10 birders on a short outing to see what species we could find along the Parkway Corridor, the Otonabee River and at the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons. The bird activity at the Cumberland Drive end of the Parkway was quite impressive with Read more

Our situation is CRITICAL! The final Environmental Assessment, with recommendations for a four lane bridge through the heart of Jackson Park intact, is going to City Council committee of the whole on November 13.  This will be followed a week later by a special City Council Meeting, for APPROVAL of Read more

This afternoon, I walked the Trans-Canada Trail between the Wallis Drive access point and Lily Lake. Many of the trees and shrubs have already shed their leaves, probably as a result of the heavy rains of late. flowers  in bloom: small numbers of Evening Primrose, Yarrow, Red Clover,  Black-eyed Susans Read more

Snow Goose  ——————————————— View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) (3) CONFIRMED – Reported Oct 17, 2013 08:30 by Scott Gibson – Peterborough – West edge of County at Boundary Road, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.4041047,-78.4760771&ll=44.4041047,-78.4760771 – Checklist: Read more

Orange-crowned Warbler ——————————————— The report below shows observations of rare birds in Peterborough.  View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Oct 17, 2013 06:55 by Jeff Stewart – 621 Carveth Drive, Millbrook, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.1354565,-78.4611087&ll=44.1354565,-78.4611087 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15429670 – Read more

In case you have not seen notice of this in other media, the Elk has been back for several days. It is in the first field south of the junction of Hwy 28 and Centre Rd of Douro, on the west side.   Tony Bigg