Blog

Today I had 2 Wilson’s Warblers and a Common Yellowthroat. Location: Meadowvale Park near TASSS Observer: Sean Smith

In the early afternoon, Patrick Hubert, a local birder was on his sheep farm just SW of the corner of Centre Line and Asphodel 6th Line. He saw a Black Vulture soaring near some Turkey Vultures. His description: “short, stocky Read more

I had a Brown Thrasher on Rotary Trail near Trent U. Location: Rotary Trail Observer: Sean Smith

For the last three or four days, we have had five Purple Finches coming to our feeders. They have been here for about a week. They are all female or first-year males (which are indistinguishable from the female.) Location: Maple Read more

At Ecology Park today, there were a single young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, several Black-throated Green Warblers and single Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, American Redstart and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Location: Ecology Park Observer: Sean Smith

On Sept. 18 there were still 2 Ruby-throated hummingbirds feeding on salvia at Ecology Park. Today, there was a juv. Black-crowned Night Heron off Meadowvale Park, below TASSS, and in the trees a Blue -headed Vireo and Black-throated Green Warbler, Read more

Great news! With records of Fiery Skipper as far N as Haliburton and Algonquin as well as Ottawa and Montreal, I was hoping that we

Today Mike Gillespie called me with news of butterflies that he had initially been unable to identify. He eventually suggested they looked like Fiery Skippers but thought that they were out of their range. I went down to his house Read more

At Millers Creek this morning we saw a Least Bittern. It was at a distance but it seemed to be significantly smaller than an American Bittern. We checked Crossley and Sibleys and the black cap and the beak seemed right. Read more

On the 24th of June I saw a doe with three fawns on the road quite close to our cottage on Chandos Lake. Well, yesterday we saw them again, three months older, near the same area! All of them looked Read more

This morning at 10 am, I had 3 Sandhill Cranes fly over me as I was driving east along County Rd. #2 by the Birdsall Swamp ( just east of Birdsall Rd) Location: County Rd. 2 by the Birdsall Swamp Read more

Today I had 15 Common Nighthawks circling over my house. First I thought they were swallows,but they were too big. I took out my bird guide and clearly saw the markings (white bands close to the body) on the underside Read more

Walking my dog through the sanctuary this morning the birds were generally scarce and quiet. However by pishing out a few small flocks I managed to find eight warbler species

On August 17th, Jane and I searched five patches of Prickly Ash on a ten acre property near Belmont Lake, and saw a combined total of more than 80 larvae of Giant Swallowtail, (representing all five instars), plus an additional Read more

I had a Great Spangled Fritillary laying eggs near our violets. Since I let areas of our yard go wild, I have had many different types of violets fill in which has brought in other fritillaries as well. This one Read more

We had a particularly rich insect chorus in our backyard last night. Among the voices – sounding almost like an insect version of an American Toad – was a Narrow-winged Tree Cricket (Oecanthus niveus). Its 2 to 10 second trill Read more

Monarchs continue to be quite common this summer. We usually have two or three in our garden at any one time (often on pink phlox). I saw three on a patch of Joe-Pye Weed in Algonquin Park this week. Driving Read more

I just had a Giant Swallowtail on my new hop tree [less than a week after planting].The tip of her her abdomen was going onto the leaves and layed 7 – 10 eggs. Lets hope the eggs hatch! Location: The Read more

This evening at 6:20 pm, I saw four Common Nighthawks “hawking” over the village of Keene Location: Keene Observer: Pauline Gillespie

A Giant Swallowtail nectared briefly in our yard this morning. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

While golfing at Bellemere Winds Tuesday on the north shore of Rice Lake there were about a dozen Caspian Terns on the course. Location: Bellemere Winds, Rice Lake Observer: Jane Philpott

We had Giant Swallowtail hanging around our yard the past week. This one comes and goes. I’ve heard there were more sightings near Ottawa. The wings are so big they actually seem to roll like a wave when she flaps Read more

So pleased and excited as for the past 3 nights at dusk ,, bats have been flying around our property on Buckhorn Lake. We have not seen bats for 2 summers, since the white nose was diagnosed. I do not Read more

While birding the southern part of the county today I encountered nine Giant Swallowtails at four locations: 3rd Line east of Bensfort Bridge (2-worn); Hiawatha Line south of Herkimer Pt Rd (1-fairly fresh); just east of Villiers on Peterborough Rd Read more