Sightings
Great shot of a Northern Water Snake
I came across this Northern Water Snake in my kayak on lower Buckhorn Lake on July 26.
Sightings
Whip-poor-will near Warsaw
We were so excited to hear a Whip-poor-will calling June 6, at about 10:50pm. Thirty-five years ago, when we first moved to 1120 Rock Road near Warsaw, they were very plentiful and would keep you up for hours with their continuous calling. Then, for whatever reason, they disappeared and we Read more…
Sightings
Dragonhunter dragonfly catches a hummingbird!
The photo was taken back in June, 2016, by Daryll Ferriss in Ardbeg, which is close to Parry Sound. He managed to pick up the pair and had great difficulty in getting the dragonfly to let go of the hummingbird. He gently separated the legs from the bird but the Read more…
Sightings
labour day 2017
Yesterday, November 4, around 4 pm, a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew over Lakefield. They flew from the south and seemed to be heading NW. We estimate over 30 birds. They were followed by a small flock of about 10 a few minutes later. Wonderful sight and sound. Bill Buddle
Sightings
Flock of 62 Sandhill Cranes over Stoney Lake
On October 26, while raising a dock for a client on Quarry Bay on the north shore of Stoney Lake at early dusk, I paused a moment when I thought I heard Sandhill Cranes. A few seconds later, I could hear them again, and looked up at what had to Read more…
Sightings
The Birds of Winter are arriving
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) (1) – Reported Oct 30, 2016 09:00 by Kim Clark – Highway 2, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) (2) – Reported Oct 26, 2016 07:29 by Mark D. Read – *Douro Eighth Line yard, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Read more…
Sightings
Spotted Salamander at Catchacoma Lake
We found this Spotted Salamander on the road last Sunday at Catchacoma Lake. The hand in the glove is a friend from Bogota, Colombia, who ended up staying at our cottage through means both circuitous and fortuitous. He loved our northern woods and was transported by the idea of being Read more…
Sightings
Uncommon Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) (1) – Reported Oct 31, 2016 10:45 by Iain Rayner – Ptbo – Trent Lakes Municipal Office, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 2 Photos – Comments: “Adult circling pretty low overhead. Loosely associating with RTHA. Reddish body, reddish arms, translucent crescents and multi Read more…
Sightings
Rare November Gray Catbird
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) (1) CONFIRMED – Reported Nov 02, 2016 12:00 by Matthew Garvin – PTBO – Edgewater road and Railway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 1 Photo – Comments: “Robin size bird but slimmer with longer cocked tail. All gray with black cap. Seen well, Read more…
Sightings
Fall-blooming Witch Hazel is now in flower!
The American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is in full bloom now (Oct. 25) at my home in Ennismore. Foliage has turned yellow but has not dropped. Bill Snowden
Sightings
Peregrine reports from downtown Peterborough
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) – Reported Oct 27, 2016 13:40 by Chris Risley – Downtown, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3033988,-78.3186717&ll=44.3033988,-78.3186717 – Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32255249 – Comments: “large raptor, sideburns visible; perched on provincial logo on west side of provincial government building at 300 Water St.” Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (1) Read more…
Sightings
Eastern Towhee makes an appearance in Peterborough
I had a female Eastern Towhee rustling around in the leaves this morning in my backyard. That brings the total number of bird species I have seen in my yard to 60! Sue Paradisis, Tudor Crescent
Sightings
North winds blow in a flurry of juncos
Just to let you know, I’ve seen our first Dark-eyed Junco today (October 9), and yesterday, our first Purple Finch. And the sunflower seeds are being devoured at an alarming rate by the Black-capped Chickadees, and both the Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches. The seasons are a-changing. Stephenie Armstrong, Warsaw Note: Read more…
Sightings
The intelligence of gulls
I am looking for your opinion on some bird behaviour in our yard that we are finding quite amusing. We have a large flock of ducks that we feed on our shoreline in the hopes of giving them a safe haven away from the hunters !! There are about 50 ducks Read more…
Sightings
Eastern Milksnake at Gannons Narrows
I came across this little Eastern Milksnake on a dirt road at Gannons Narrows on Pigeon Lake at about 1:30 pm October 2. It is only 6-7 inches long and was stretched out. The dog walked over it and I thought it was dead, but when I bent down to Read more…
Sightings
Crow roost on Towerhill Road
For many years the city American Crows roosted near the Kawartha Golf and Country Club grounds. Recently I noticed a lot of crow calling (before the sun is up) coming from the north of my location at Fairbairn and Raymond Streets. This morning I stepped out my front door at Read more…
Sightings
Increasingly rare Rusty Blackbirds at Lily Lake
I came across this flock of Rusty Blackbirds at about 4 PM on October 4 on the Trans Canada Trail (Jackson Creek section). They were flying around the marsh west of Lily Lake in a flock of about twenty similarly-sized birds. On October 7, the Rusty Blackbirds seemed to be Read more…
Sightings
Early fall sees American Pipits moving south through the Kawarthas
On October 7, I was traveling just North of #7 Hwy at the 12th line of Dummer An American Pipit was viewed for over 5 minutes as the bird walked the edges of the roadway. Its white flanked tail, white throat and buff breast with very faint striking wereclearly visible. It Read more…
Sightings
White-throated Sparrows in large numbers
We’re enjoying large numbers of White-throated Sparrows in our yard right now. Probably two dozen at least. They are eating the millet I scatter around the base of the feeder and nearby shrubs. The odd White-throat occasionally breaks into a weaker version of its spring “Oh sweet Canada…Canada…Canada” song. Any Read more…
Sightings
Great Horned and E. Screech-Owl on Mervin Line on a lovely September evening
Eastern Screech-Owl (Northern) (Megascops asio [asio Group]) (1) – Reported Sep 25, 2016 20:16 by Luke Berg – Peterborough–Mervin Line, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Singing on the south side of the road about 200m west of the east end of the road. ” Great Horned Owl Read more…
Sightings
Monarchs still emerging from chrysalides
The Monarch I’ve been monitoring emerged from its chrysalis on September 18. It is the only one I have been able to find. The other caterpillars I was watching disappeared. My parents have sightings of at least a couple other Monarchs. Sean McMullen Warsaw Note: A Monarch visited our garden Read more…
Sightings
Some nice bird pics!
Here are a couple of photos from this week. The Common Loon chick eating something was photographed on September 20 on the River Road, south of Lakefield. The Merlin picture was taken September 16 at our club shoot in Millennium Park. Carl Welbourne
Sightings
Three Great Egrets at pond on Television Road at Highway 7
The marsh at the south end of TV Road had three Great Egrets last evening ( 21 Sept 16) Carl Welbourn Kawartha Camera Club
Sightings
Underwing moths in the Kawarthas (from Tim Dyson)
I have spent some evenings this summer with some of my moth friends of the Noctuid group. Underwings, (genus – Catocala), are a fascinating bunch when one puts out bait repeatedly, night after night, to attract them. Some, like most nocturnal moths, will come to lights at night, but nothing Read more…
Sightings
A chance to compare two hard-to-identify ducks: Lesser and Greater Scaup
Six species of ducks at Lakefield Sewage Lagoons right now: 38 Wood Ducks, 4 Mallards, 2 Northern Shovelers, 1 Greater Scaup, 7 Lesser Scaups, and 9 Hooded Mergansers. – Reported Sep 18, 2016 08:17 by Daniel Williams – Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “S cell, Read more…
Sightings
Hatching time for baby Snapping and Blanding’s turtles
Thought I would send you these photos of a baby Snapping Turtle. I removed 10 from my river road on Friday, Sept 9th. My friend on Nogies Creek had 6 baby Blanding’s hatch on Labour Day after they had covered up the nest to protect it from predators. Marie Windover, Read more…
Sightings
PRESS RELEASE: Loggerhead Marsh in City’s west-end classified as Provincially Significant Wetland
Peterborough ON – September 7 2016. Latest evaluation performed by the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) of Loggerhead Marsh, located in the city’s west end, has classified Loggerhead Marsh as a provincially significant wetland. Based on available information on the marsh and its wildlife and using the Read more…
Sightings
A chance to see the beautiful Black-crowned Night-Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1) – Reported Sep 08, 2016 12:19 by Chris Risley – PTBO – Edgewater road and Railway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Media: 1 Photo – Comments: “perched in tree on shore of Little Lake near RR tracks; adult”
Sightings
Sightings of uncommon Map Turtle
After paddling up the mouth of Eel’s Creek with a friend on Labour Day and seeing no less than ten Map Turtles, (including six on the same log), I was reminded of another I saw back in June not far from there. The latter was well on her way up Read more…
Sightings
Great Egret on Bensfort Road
On the morning of the 29th of August, I saw a Great Egret at a farmer’s pond on Bensfort Road, a little north of the Bensfort Landfill north of County Road #2. Brenda Dyson