March 12, 2012

This morning a small flock of 12 Tundra Swans was on the ice just north of the Lakefield Marsh. Among the many Canada Geese along the Otonabee River between Lakefield and Trent University there were at least half a dozen Cackling Geese. Also on the River were four Wood Ducks, Read more…

March 12, 2012

Ten Hooded Mergansers on the river (seven males, three females), though the original pair(?) kept their distance. Location: Indian River on Sawmill Road near the Warsaw Caves Observer: Stephenie Armstrong

March 11, 2012

It’s great to see so many spring migrants back. I checked out Little Lake at 1:30 p.m. today. Some of the migrants included 5 American Wigeon, 1 Redhead, 78 Ring-necked Duck, 57 Hooded Merganser, a Horned Grebe and 2 Merlin. They were all viewed from the point in Little Lake Read more…

March 11, 2012

Today, I saw 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets near Lochlin in Haliburton County and there was one Tundra Swan on Shadow Lake near Norland. Kim Clark Location: Lochlin (Haliburton County) and Norland (City of Kawartha Lakes) Observer: Kim Clark

March 10, 2012

A group of 35 – 40 waxwings have been hanging around our neighborhood the past two days. Yesterday and today there were two Bohemians in the group. They have been feeding from my neighbor’s ornamental apple tree in the front yard. We are at Cavan Wood Drive which is the Read more…

March 10, 2012

A pair of Canada Geese arrived, flying low over the river. We usually have three pairs raising young on the river, one fairly nearby who proclaims his territory regularly on our old dock, but the families come together when the young are still quite small, cruising the river and coming Read more…

March 8, 2012

A pair of Hooded Mergansers have arrived, diving for food in our little shallow bay and succeeding in catching something. Last year we had two families on the river, but before that only one. On March 9, there were male Hooded Mergansers and one female. Female spurned one male and Read more…

March 8, 2012

I stopped at Little Lake at lunch today – weather brought in a good assortment of ducks. In addition to the numerous mallards, common mergansers, hooded mergansers, and goldeneye that have been kickng around there were also good numbers of Ring-necked Ducks (60+),some Black Ducks (4), American Wigeon (9), Scaup Read more…

March 7, 2012

Scott Gibson and I checked out Little Lake. Due to the warm temperatures there was a lot of shimmer making viewing the relatively small gull flock (~75 birds) difficult from just west of the cemetery so we drove around to the north side and viewed from Edgewater Blvd. It was Read more…

March 7, 2012

This morning, I heard then saw a Merlin in the top of a spruce tree at the corner of Gilmour and Park streets. They nested in the spruce several years ago but not recently. They seem to move to a new old crow’s nest every year somewhere in our neighbourhood. Read more…

March 7, 2012

For 2 days, there have been 7 or 8 Common Grackles at the feeder early a.m. and a Red winged Blackbird on the platform feeder near Lakefield. The same day a mink investigated the back porch. Location: Lakefield Observer: Mary Jane Parker

March 6, 2012

This morning there was a single male Common Grackle flying overhead at the Public Library on Aylmer St. in downtown Peterborough. Location: downtown Peterborough Observer: Colin Jones

March 6, 2012

Isn’t this season of rebirth wonderful!!! On our dog walk this morning we heard, then saw Red-winged Blackbirds on the causeway to Fothergill Isle near Gannons Narrows. A sure sound of Spring for me. Location: Gannons Narrows Observer: Rose Rogers

March 6, 2012

Yesterday there were no Red-winged Blackbirds around Lakefield. This morning there are at least 20 males scattered around the Lakefield marsh singing. Location: Lakefield marsh Observer: Tony Bigg

March 3, 2012

At first I thought I was seeing things, but I’m sure a pair of Trumpeter Swams flew by yesterday. They were coming from Gannon’s Narrows towards Fothergill Island. Location: Pigeon Lake Observer: Rose Rogers

March 2, 2012

Yesterday, my wife observed a flock of several hundred Bohemian Waxwings sitting in a tree along the Parkway Trail behind Walmart. Perhaps if we don’t look out our windows, we can imagine spring has arrived! Location: Parkway Trail, east of Chemong Road Observer: Don Finigan

March 2, 2012

The mild, misty conditions this morning seemed very conducive to bird song. I heard my largest chorus yet this winter of House Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos and a single Mourning Dove. There seemed to be much more bird activity than usual. I even had a pair of Canada Geese fly over. Read more…

February 29, 2012

This morning, a Cooper’s Hawk was perched in a maple surveying the bird feeders but there was no activity and it left without catching anything. This morning around 7 when the doves were just starting to come down from the spruces they roost in, the hawk flew to the edge Read more…

February 28, 2012

This afternoon (0 C), I actually saw a robin pull a full-size earthworm out of the ground on the front lawn of a south-facing house. A first for February! I’ve noticed, too, that many of the crows I’m seeing these days are now perched together as pairs – presumably a Read more…

February 26, 2012

Robins continue to be very common in the city this winter. Today, I saw a flock of about 12 American Robins eating mountain-ash berries along Weller Street, west of Wallis Drive. Ring-billed Gulls have been fairly common throughout the city for most of the month, as well. Location: Weller Street Read more…

February 24, 2012

This morning, during the snowstorm, I heard my first House Finch of the year in full song. As during most snowstorms, there was a lot of activity at the feeder. I’m not sure what it is about snowstorms that brings the birds in to feed in greater numbers than usual. Read more…

February 24, 2012

I had a Northern Flicker in my backyard again today. The crabapple tree was full of robins, starlings and cedar waxwings so it stayed on the ground in the garden digging for at least half an hour. I have also been hearing robins singing every morning since Feb. 18th. I Read more…