Sightings

Blue-headed Vireo  – Reported Apr 15, 2014 13:30 by Tim Haan – Welsh St, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist and photo  

From at least 5 until 6:30 pm today I had a male Eastern Towhee here in the backyard. It emerged on and off from a patch of trees where I don`t rake the leaves and was foraging for bird seed on the ground. I had never seen one before, but Read more…

  Eastern Towhee – Reported Apr 13, 2014 12:30 by Donald Sutherland – Cottesloe–3.2 km ENE on Webster Rd, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “flushed from roadside, flew N into cover on N side road. Medium-sized passerine with longish tail, entirely black back and conspicuous white tips Read more…

Spending the morning birding, I found eight species of sparrow – Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow (all in my garden), Swamp Sparrow, Fox Sparrow (both Lynch’s Rock Rd), Savannah Sparrow (Douro 3rd Line south of Cedar Cross Line), Vesper Sparrow (TCT between Blezard & Cameron Lines). Read more…

We were delighted to see the return of our local American Kestrel this weekend, on 14th Line of Smith. Nima Taghaboni

  Yesterday afternoon (April 13th) I heard Chorus Frogs calling at two locations on Division Rd: <10 calling from the cattail-shrub thicket-maple swamp around 500 m east of Blezard Line; and about the same number in the flooded maple floodplain of the West Ouse River around 600 m west of Read more…

Last night I went out with my dad and Dave Milsom to see what amphibians we could find on the roads (Birchview and Camp Line specifically) just north of Lakefield. The vast majority of the amphibians were on Birchview Road and were as follows: – Blue-spotted Salamander = 44 – Read more…

Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) (4) – Reported Apr 11, 2014 12:20 by Peterborough County Birds Database – Peterborough–Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “basic adults with just the faintest hint of hood development on the nape, foraging over river on E side Little Lake Cemetery, then Read more…

American Bittern  – Reported Apr 13, 2014 10:35 by Scott Gibson – Smith – 7th Line (b/w Cty 23 and Centre Line), Peterborough, Ontario – Map  – Checklist – Comments: “stopped to show kids the HAWO in tree beside marsh (south side of road) and while stopped the bittern flew Read more…

While driving north on Tara Road in Ennismore I noticed an American Kestrel flying across the road. It flew to and entered a bird house attached high on a phone pole. I was amazed he could fit through the hole – it`s not a large house and there are no Read more…

These two Osprey are back at Selwyn Road and County Road 18. Jeff Keller

On my walk today, I noticed Snowdrops in bloom for the first time this year. The first tulip leaves are also emerging. Very noticeable swelling of the flower buds on Silver Maples and Trembling Aspen, too. Drew Monkman

Today, at noon (10 C and sunny) there was a Mourning Cloak butterfly in our backyard, basking on the pedestal of the birdbath. This species overwinters as an adult and obviously withstood many nights of -30 C and probably colder! Drew Monkman

I heard my first Spring Peeper this evening in the woods near my house. There was just one. Scott McKinlay           To add to Scott’s post, I heard Chorus Frogs on Thompson Creek, south of Trent University this afternoon.   Dave Milsom

I’ve been away for a week and my how things have changed. A Fox Sparrow was in the garden this morning. The Ospreys are back at the nest at the corner of Emerald Isle and Herrington Line. American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos are still quite prevalent at the feeders. Read more…

All week (since April 8) we’ve had about half a dozen Fox Sparrows outside our window, cleaning up bird seed from the winter feeders. They’re beautifully marked and fun to watch as they scrabble in the leaves under the cedar trees. We’re in Douro-Dummer beside the Indian River.  Jane Bremner Read more…

Blue-winged Teal  (2) – Reported Apr 06, 2014 08:45 by Matthew Tobey – Drive from Peterborough to Lakefield, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Pair near Lakefield.” Blue-winged Teal  (1) – Reported Apr 09, 2014 19:45 by Matthew Garvin – PTBO – Cunningham Blvd. Stormwater pond, Peterborough, Ontario Read more…

  I saw this female Belted Kingfisher at about 7:15 pm this evening on the 7th line of Smith.I got a couple of pictures before the second one chased her away! Jeff Keller

This evening, April 8, I saw a huge flock of blackbirds (75% grackles, 10% starlings and 15% Red-winged Blackbirds) perched in a Carolina Poplar near Wallis Dr. and Parkhill Rd. that must have numbered 500 birds.

Reporting a sighting from last night of 3 otters together on the far shore of the river ice behind my house just north of Omemee! They were playing, and rolling around with one another, and just carrying on for ages, in between diving for fish. Of course, I didn’t recall Read more…

  a Great Blue Heron triumphant on one of the largest goose-rocks on the west bank of the Otonobee, from River Road. a pair of American Kestrels active over the adjacent field and on the wires south of the lower sewage lagoon at Lakefield. an Eastern Phoebe at Lakefield Sewage Read more…

At Little Lake today, there were Great Blue Herons, Merlins, 3 Horned Grebes, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneye and Buffleheads.  Ken Rumble There was a large flock of Tree Swallows flying over the intersection of King St and Water St in downtown Peterborough today, Read more…

Sitting outside this morning, we saw and heard: Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown-headed Cowbird, Song Sparrows, and a Merlin, in and amongst the goldfinches, robins, cardinals and juncos. Lovely to have some spring weather! Erin McGauley, Peterborough

20 birders enjoyed a beautiful Spring day’s birding in the Peterborough and Cobourg areas on April 6. A group total of 79 species included several highlights : A Greater White-fronted Goose + 10 Cackling Geese at Garden Hill Pond north of Port Hope; 7 Cackling Geese at Mather’s Corners; 3 Read more…

One of my favourite bird songs, the Song Sparrow’s voice finally joined the neighbourood bird chorus this morning. This species was late returning this year,but can you blame it? Drew Monkman