Sightings

The drought conditions we had last summer may be the reason why nearly all of the trees and shrubs are laden with a heavy crop of seeds and fruit. This explanation is courtesy of Michael Snyder, a forester, and Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.  This was Read more…

*** Species Summary: – Blue-winged Teal (1 report) – Great Egret (1 report) – Great Egret (American) (1 report) – Lesser Yellowlegs (2 reports) – Least Sandpiper (2 reports) – Cliff Swallow (1 report) – Cliff Swallow (Northern) (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert Read more…

Butterflies have generally been in much reduced numbers this year, the exception being hairstreaks. On July 12 Jerry Ball and I found Banded Hairstreak 45, Acadian Hairstreak 50, Coral Hairstreak 2, Striped Hairstreak 6, Hickory Hairstreak 12,  and Edwards Hairstreak 23. A few Gray Hairstreaks were found from July 23 Read more…

1. This morning was the first time I felt my hay fever symptoms, which means that Ragweed is now in bloom. 2. I had a report today of a Northern Goshawk hanging out near birdfeeders on Knox Street. The house backs onto Armour Hill.  This hawk species is rarely seen Read more…

On August 8 at 7:56 pm, I saw a Great Egret on Wallace Point Road, Bailieboro, just east of County Road 28. Location: 44.169431,-78.360632 Observer: Julie Horton

Here is Tim Dyson’s report on the status of Giant Swallowtail butterflies this summer. The Giant Swallowtail is a newcomer to the Kawarthas and Canada’s largest butterfly. “Starting on May 30th, (first brood, which likely had over-wintered as pupae, I would expect), I saw Giant Swallowtails in the region from Havelock to Stoney Lake to Lakefield to Read more…

We encountered a cow Moose on County Road 507, north of Flynn’s Corner on Sunday evening (August 4).  The moose was taking its time, wandering back and forth across the road while traffic backed up. Observer: Jennifer

Dave and Debbie Brown of Indian River have reported seeing an entirely white (albino?) Red-tailed Hawk at their farm. The bird flew down from a tree and perched on a hay bale.  Thje hawk was last seen about 10 days ago. Observer: Dave and Debbie Brown, 1st Line of Douro

Interesting phenomenon yesterday. At about 5:50 pm, we were on our porch and heard quite a different racket from the trees across the road. The bird calls were not anything similar or familiar to us. Sighting the binoculars on the birds, we discovered that there were at least a dozen Read more…

On July 26,  I had one of our most interesting pollinators, the Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe), in my garden. Observer: Colum Diamond

I think the last time I wrote I complained about a pernicious weed called Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea – Lathyrus latifolius .  They got the everlasting part right – it is now my fifth summer of digging up these plants over my septic bed. You might think that after so many Read more…

On July 27, two juvenile Red-tailed Hawks appeared in and around our yard  for the better part of an hour.  They would perch on the fences or rooftops and then soar around for a few minutes and return.  One of them landed on the ground and seemed to be eating Read more…

  This morning at about 10 a.m., I observed a pair of Great Egrets briefly on the Otonabee River in Peterborough, just south of the zoo.  They flew in and stayed in the area for only about 10 minutes or so, but were very active during that time.  They waded Read more…

Cottagers sometimes find large, mysterious, jelly-like “blobs” attached to the dock or aquatic plants. They are formed by colonies of Bryozoa, a freshwater invertebrate. Looking somewhat like an egg mass, the clumps are clear, dense, and have distinct, repetitive patterns and markings on the outside. Bryozoa are like a freshwater Read more…

  Today, an adult female Eastern Dobsonfly crawled up on my deck for about 30 minutes.  She was almost five inches long. I’ve never seen one before, though I understand they are fairly common. Living on Armour Road about 150 metres from the Otonabee River we never know what will Read more…

Today, I had two Monarchs on my milkweeds. Observer: Ulrike Kullik, Highway 7, Havelock

  – Lesser Yellowlegs (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Alert for Peterborough. The report below shows observations of species you have not seen in Peterborough, based on your eBird observations.  View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN34560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless Read more…

*** Species Summary: – Peregrine Falcon (2 reports) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Rare Bird Alert for Peterborough. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Peterborough.  View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN36363 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Read more…

Jerry Ball and I went butterflying  in the NE of the County today. Our route was Cty Rd 6, Cty Rd 44, Hubble Rd, Cty Rd 46 and Sandy Lake Rd. Butterflies were prolific, especially on Sandy Lake Rd.. In total we saw 42 species, with amazing numbers of hairstreaks. Read more…

Regarding the abundance of  fruit this year…yes!  It’s as if everything is  masting (producing a huge amount of fruit/seed)!!  Dale & I have expounded about the abundance of flowers since the early spring, and right on through until now:  first the Canada Plum, then the serviceberries, and even the maples, Read more…

This year’s butterfly numbers have been a little off. I have yet to see any Monarchs or Question Mark butterflies.The ones I have seen are – skippers, azures, tailed-blues, American lady (caterpillars now on Pussy Toes), tiger swallowtails, eyed browns, pearly eyeds and white admirals.  The woodland butterflies , eyed Read more…

This past Sunday, June 30, I saw a pair of  Sandhill Cranes, near Cambray (northwest of Lindsay). They were in a large field. Observer: Gavin Hunter

Here are a couple of recent photos of a Green Heron fishing from a tree branch along the shore of an island in Rice Lake. As shown in the first photo, the heron would cling to a branch while hanging upside down and jabbing its bill in the water to Read more…

  Click here to learn about eBird *** Species Summary: – Least Bittern (1 report) – Upland Sandpiper (2 reports) – Peregrine Falcon (2 reports) – Northern Rough-winged Swallow (4 reports) – Cliff Swallow (1 report) – Eastern Towhee (1 report) ——————————————— Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Needs Read more…

A resident of Benmor Towers has seen a family of hawks around Jackson Park.  The nest is in one of the white pines near the  climbing frame and can bee seen from the ground . (Note: The bird is a Red-tailed Hawk. A pair has been nesting in the park Read more…

I have noticed that most of the trees, shrubs and vines seem to have a great deal of fruit on them this year. Among the species that really stand out in this regard are Eastern White Cedar, Red Oak, White Spruce, Sugar Maple, White Ash, Black Walnut, American Beech, Choke Read more…

This morning when I stepped out the front door, there was a Pileated Woodpecker pecking away at railway ties at side of house.  Several weeks ago, I had a White-tailed Deer in the backyard. It was dining on the fresh foliage of a Norway Maple. I frequently see Red Foxes Read more…

We had a rare visitor this evening – an Eastern Bluebird. He seems to be hanging around too…I’ve never seen him before. Observer: Kim Reid, Drummond Line, east of Peterborough and north of Highway 7