Columns
Monarchs at all-time low
Plight of butterflies one of several stories Drew Monkman is keeping an eye on Click here to view column
Plight of butterflies one of several stories Drew Monkman is keeping an eye on Click here to view column
Gannon Narrows north of Ennismore had many ducks over the 2013 Easter weekend. In the late afternoon on 31 March, I checked the Narrows from two locations – the bridge (not recommended if significant traffic) and from the southernmost shore of Oak Orchard Estates. The strong current through the Narrows Read more…
Bob and I were visiting the Arboretum at The Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, taking advantage of some fantastic warm spring weather. In a muddy patch at the edge of the Marsh Trail, we spotted Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) plants…lots of them, in fact.poking up through the dead and decaying Read more…
I birded from Trent U. to Lakefield today along the Otonabee River. Many ducks. Saw all 3 merganser species, large flocks of Bufflehead and Ring-necked Ducks, Scaup (Greater ?), Common Goldeneyes, Redhead, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Black Duck, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Grackles, and Turkey Vultures. Location: Otonabee River Read more…
Saw first Osprey return to nesting platform just outside keen on Cty. Rd.#2 west of town this morning. Location: Keene Observer: Rick Stankiewicz
We heard two American Woodcock last night at 8:56 pm from the dead end at the southwest end of Jameson Drive (just west of Fisher Dr) in SW Peterborough. After peenting for a minute one flew up and away to the south while another continued peenting. Also heard were Killdeer, Read more…
This morning I was walking my dogs on the and saw 2 wood ducks, 1 eastern phoebe, and two brown-headed cowbirds. Location: 9th line of Douro Observer: Luke Berg
Lots of early spring migrants seen today, including turkey vulture, killdeer, horned lark, winter wren and wood duck. Last evening heard an American woodcock peenting in the field behind my house. Location: Bethany Observer: Kim Clark
JB Jaboor reported to me that he had a Turkey Vulture on Crowley Line yesterday. I had six, myself, today, four in the south of the county and two near Lakefield. One was sitting atop an old barn on Cameron Line south of Hwy 7 – a likely place for Read more…
Seemingly cool March was really just the norm, now April can warm things up Click here to view column
Last evening (March 27, 2013) I spent a little over an hour checking out a few spots around the east end of Rice Lake for waterfowl. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The Mather’s Corners meltwater pond is about 10% open now and should fully open this Read more…
Waterfowl on Little Lake this morning included several Redhead, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded and Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Mallards, all in breeding plumage and activity finery. The merlin was also giving fluttery display flights. Cheers, Sean Location: Little Lake Observer: Sean Smith
Today on little lake, I saw hooded merganser, bufflehead, am. widgeon, common goldeneye, redhead, ring necked duck,greater scaup, and common merganser merlin. On March 29 at the zoo, I heard a merlin calling. When I spotted it high up in a white pine, I saw a male merlin swoop down Read more…
Today I saw 6 horned larks in open fields west of 1/4 line on South side. 10am Location: 12th Line of Cavan Observer: Ken Rumble
Today I saw Hooded Merganzers, Ring-necked Ducks , Coot, Merlins, Common Mergansers, mallards, Canada Geese, Common Goldeneyes and Buffleheads in and around Little Lake Cemetery. Location: Little Lake Cemetery Observer: Ken Rumble
Scientific thumbs up for fracking, nuclear power deserve due consideration Click to view column
Evening Grosbeaks come to my feeder on a daily basis, and have been doing so since the fall. Location: 209 Zion Line, 1st concession south of Millbrook, near the western end of it. Sitting in middle of 62 acres of old Xmas tree farm. Observer: Jim Lloyd
There were 3 tundra swans on the Otonabee River on the north side of Lock 24 at 4 pm this afternoon. Got a very close look with my scope, and could see the yellow on the bill of one of them. Kim Clark – Bethany Location: Lock 24, Otonabee River Read more…
A great blue heron just flew by in this snowstorm. Poor thing..probably looking for open water. Buckhorn Lake.. Kawartha Hideway. JP Location: Kawartha Hideway, Buckhorn Lake Observer: Jane Philpott
Today, I had a male Ring-necked Pheasant in my yard. It stayed most of the day. (Pheasants turn up around Peterborough several times a year but where they are coming from – someone’s escaped pet? – is a mystery. D.M.) Location: McCrae Drive, Peterborough Observer: Liliana Perez
Tonight I had the pleasure of having a Great Horned Owl pay a brief visit to my yard. It landed on the roof of the house and I was able to see the long tufts on the head and even the talons. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay long. Location: Warsaw Observer: Read more…
It is good to have the birds returning. With the cooper’s hawk hanging around so much this winter, things were quiet at my feeders compared to other years. Yesterday there were 12 different species including 6 immature pine grosbeaks and 6 redpolls. Sue Paradisis Location: Tudor Cres. Peterborough Observer: Sue Read more…
I just got back from the Garden Hill pond where there were 2700 Canada Geese. In amongst them there were at least 10 Cackling Geese, 6 American Wigeon, 2 Hooded Merganser, and 1 Blue Morph Snow Goose. There was also 1 Cedar Waxwing. To reach the pond turn right off Read more…
This morning we had two adult and one juvenile Trumpeter Swans at Gannon Narrows. They were swimming in the open water between the Gannon Narrows Bridge and Fothergill Island. Lots of ducks and geese as well. Location: Gannon’s Narrows Observer: Jim Watt
We saw our first Turkey Vulture of the new year today at Gannon Narrows. It was just soaring over the tree tops. Location: Gannon’s Narrows Observer: Jim Watt
I saw my first Turkey Vulture today, soaring over Costco on the Parkway. Location: Parkway Observer: Drew Monkman
A Great Gray Owl was seen and photographed this afternoon on the west side of County Road 10, just north of Cavan near Morton Line. It was gone by the end of the day and, despite a lot of searching, was never relocated. Location: Cavan village Observer: reported to Martin Read more…
A drive along the edge of Little Lake through the cemetery today produced 30+ Hooded Mergansers, 10 Common Mergansers, 5 Lesser Scaup, 6 Buffleheads, 1 Ring-necked Duck, 1 American Wigeon, 50+ Mallards, 1 Black Duck, 100+ Canada Geese, 1 Merlin and 1 adult Bald Eagle. Location: Little Lake Cemetery, Peterborough Read more…
I have an Eastern Meadowlark here in my yard foraging on the lawn. Never seen one before. Very exciting. Location: Kawartha Hideaway, Buckhorn Lake Observer: Jane Philpott
With ice disappearing, a quick survey of Little Lk. yielded: 3 Gadwall, 3 Greater Scaup, 50+ Hooded Mergansers, 35+ Ring-necked Ducks, and more Bufflehead than recently. Definitely heard a Killdeer, but still have not seen it. Robins now becoming common. Still one adult Glaucous Gull here today. Lots of American Read more…