Sightings

Here are two photos of Ring-necked Ducks on the Otonabee River yesterday morning. Jeff Keller

  At 1:30 PM, April 2, this happy fellow was cheerfully devouring sunfish on the river ice behind my house a little north of Omemee. At first he looked like a little Ogopogo as he swam down the river- just bumps sticking out above the water- but luckily for me Read more…

Cackling Goose – Reported Apr 05, 2014 13:30 by Luke Berg – Mather’s Corners Meltwater Pond, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Small group sticking close together. In amongst CANGs.<iframe src=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/95310945@N06/13650802324/in/photostream/player/” width=”500″ height=”375″ frameborder=”0″></iframe>”  Note: Click “checklist” to see other birds that Luke saw at Mather’s Corners, including Read more…

When I came down for breakfast this am there was a female cardinal pecking at the glass window to the south. My movements in the kitchen scared her off, but she has been back several times over the course of several hours still pecking at the window. Not sure what Read more…

I thought you might be interested in hearing that I saw an American Woodcock this morning, April 3, when I was out for a walk at around 6 am. I heard the “peent” sounds it continually repeats and then saw it fly up while making the same sound. I watched Read more…

Two Trumpeter Swans flew over Kent’s Bay near Hiawatha yesterday, April 3rd, in the late afternoon. Today, April 4th, the swans are “floating down the river”, along with some Common Goldeneyes, & Bufflehead ducks. The Otonabee River is still quite frozen in front of our place. I’ll see more birds Read more…

Just got back from walking the dogs at Beavermead on Little Lake. I saw 50 to 60 Tree Swallows flying over the open water.  Lots of ducks around, as well, but they were too far away to identify. Anne Corke  

Click here to find an interesting blog post by Mike Burrell, which provides a list of the expected spring arrival dates for most of Ontario’s common migrants. The dates are based on data collected from eBird checklists.  Mike has a very informative blog called the Nomadic Naturalist. Note: You can Read more…

I visited Little Lake this afternoon, April 2, and was greeted by a nice diversity of birdlife, especially along the east side of the cemetery. Viewing is great in mid- to late afternoon when the sun is in the western sky and illuminates the waterfowl from the side.  Highlights included Read more…

I heard my first Song Sparrow this spring singing in our yard this morning, just off the 7th Line Smith. Carrie Sadowski

1. We observed our first Northern River Otter of the season on April 1. He  watched us for a few minutes until he got to a hole in the ice and went under. reported by: Rose Rogers, Fothergill Island, Ennismore   2. On March 31, there was a Barred Owl calling Read more…

Don McLeod has added a number of new photo galleries to his wonderful local nature blog. You’ll find great shots of baby toads, a curious otter, a Turkey Vulture, a Great Horned Owl, an Osprey, Black Bear tracks and sign, White-tailed Deer tracks and sign, a Snowy Owl various waterfowl Read more…

  On Friday March 28th, 55 students (16 teams) in our Advanced Ecology class went out from 9:30 to 11 am and sampled the Otonabee River from north of Lakefield to south of Peterborough. They recorded 75 Bufflehead, 42 Canada Geese, 203 Common Goldeneye, 37 Common Merganser, 13 Red-breasted Merganser, Read more…

I saw and heard two Merlins this morning, March 30, at the Little Lake Cemetery on the east side as I was looking for ducks. Jeff Keller

Yesterday, March 29, at noon, I drove through the Little Lake Cemetery and counted the waterbirds between the cemetery and Beavermead Park. I found 2 Redheads, 8 Common Mergansers, 1 Bufflehead, 8 Mallards,1 Long-tailed Duck, 10 Hooded Mergansers, 12 Common Goldeneye, 50 Canada Geese, 1 Horned Grebe and 1 Great Read more…

Highland Rd and Fairbairn – Mar 29 @ 3PM. While trundling (more like leaping and lurching) down to my bird feeder today I noticed a flock of birds, silent but very busy in the shrubbery behind my yard. It was a flock of Cedar Waxwings. Beautiful birds!  Also sighted my Read more…

This morning, March 29, on the Otonabee River on the east side of the Little Lake Cemetery, there were a pair of Redhead ducks. Jeff Keller

While driving to the Trent University campus this morning I was amazed to see a Great Egret fly in and land on some exposed rocks below the dam that’s just upriver of the Nassau Mills Road bridge (just south of campus). It stayed put and I was able to take Read more…

Here is a picture of a Northern Shrike that was in our yard in mid-March. I am located on Centre Line, Selwyn (previously Smith) . Gord Bullied

The highlight of the Peterborough Field Naturalists’ Presqu’ile trip on Sunday, March 23 (led by Gerry Ball) was a Parasitic Jaeger seen harassing gulls on Presqu’ile Bay. The bird was viewed from Government Dock. A total of 69 species were seen, including Wood Ducks, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teals, Read more…

 This American Robin was in my mountain-ash tree several days ago, feeding on last years berries. Jeff Keller, Bridgenorth

I spotted a Pied-billed Grebe on the river just below Lakefield yesterday, March 26, in the p.m. Many other waterfowl were present as well, including the Horned Grebe.  Bill Snowden

I want to a sighting of what we believe to have been a Peregrine Falcon. Back on February 15th my son and I were on the walkway between the King St parking lot and George St (behind the stores on Charlotte St). We came across a falcon standing proudly on Read more…

There are three Trumpeter Swans in Lakefield just south of the beach area. Other waterfowl in the same area are Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Mallard and Canada Goose. The three Red-necked Grebe that have been there for a while seem to have moved Read more…

An Eastern Phoebe was seen on March 22, north of Bobcaygeon on Irwin’s Road. Susan Blayney

Around 11:30 this morning, March 23, at 4 Conger Street, I saw five Turkey Vultures flying north-east very low. I was making coffee near a window and the shadows surprised me. They were  definitely kettling: slow vertical, fast horizontal movement. I’ve never seen them do it from so close. They Read more…