Sightings

On the walk home this afternoon, I had 2 Swainson’s Thrushes near London St. bridge/ near Ross St. eating Common Buckthorn berries. Location: London Street Foot Bridge Observer: Sean Smith

For the past seven days there has been a white Trumpeter Swan in the bay. This morning was the first time it ventured close to our shore. My neighbour fed it bread and took a photo. It has yellow tags on both wings, J83. Location: Hamilton Bay, Stony Lake Observer: Read more…

For over a week now, I have had a leucistic female Northern Cardinal at my feeder. It has large, white cheek patches. Location: Wildlark Drive Observer: Murray Palmer

With the strong cold front this weekend, there has been a lot of bird activity with large numbers of creepers, kinglets and sparrows migrating through. The morning sunshine has also been coaxing some of the sparrows and robins into a half-hearted rendition of the their spring songs. The maples and Read more…

Today we had a Golden-crowned kinglet sitting on a window ledge. we also had one Eastern Towhee under our backyard feeder among the white-crowned and white-throated sparrows and house and purple finches. Location: McCrea Drive, Peterborough Observer: MItch Brownstein

Today I went to the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons and saw one Golden-crowned Kinglet, 10 Yellow-rumped warblers, 4 Redhead, 50 Greater scaup, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Wood Ducks, 4 Bufflehead, and 2 Bonaparte’s Gulls. Location: Lakefield Sewage Lagoons Observer: Luke Berg

Two American Tree Sparrows have been visiting my birdfeeder on my deck over last 3 days. As well, a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers have been at my front window and in my front trees for a week now feeding on the Hackberry Gall Flies that are numerous right now. Location: Read more…

A dozen or more kinglets were in the yard this morning with the arrival of a strong cold front. Lots of Brown Creepers moving throught today, too. Purple Finches are still at feeder (about 12) and at least one of the immature males is starting to show a purple rump. Read more…

Today, there were a Blue-headed Vireo and Nashville Warbler at Ecology Park, while a few Purple Finches continue at feeders there. A Monarch was still visiting wildflowers. Location: Ecology Park Observer: Sean Smith

Today after school I was at a friend’s house on Coon Lake Road which is about a kilometre past Burleigh Falls and I found a Four -toed Salamander on the road, about 500 meters from the turn off. Location: Coon Lake Road, Burleight Falls Observer: Luke Berg

A huge bull Elk caused traffic interruption on Highway 7 between Havelock and Marmora this evening. The Elk was 30 feet from the road in a farmer’s field . He had a tag on one ear. Droves of people parked beside the highway and took pictures and videos. I still Read more…

Today I watched a Peregrine Falcon harrasing an Osprey over Aylmer Street in front of the Public Library. Location: Aylmer Street, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

On a drive around Chandos Lake today, the colours were magnificent. Especiallly impressive were the Red and Sugar Maples, along with wine-coloured White Ash. I would suspect that it will still be very good over Thanksgiving Weekend, esp. for Sugar Maple Location: Chandos Lake area: Apsley to Lasswade to Glen Read more…

Today I had at least five Dark-eyed Juncos at our feeder- the first of the fall. Location: McCrea Drive Observer: Cy Monkman

Between Meadowvale Park near TASS and Dunlop St. I observed single Nashville and Tennessee Warblers, FOS White-crowned Sparrow, a single Phoebe and a pr. of Wood Ducks. At Lock #20 Ashburnham at Roger’s Cove there was a screaming Merlin and a flock of Pine Siskins. At Ecology Park there was Read more…

Today our first White-crowned Sparrow of the fall turned up at our feeder. I’ve been putting niger seed on the ground which seems to work well. The sparrows are happy and the squirrels don’t touch it. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

A first of season Dark-eyed Junco was in my backyard. Location: near TASSS on Armour Road Observer: Sean Smith

White Ash are at their colour height right now. Excellent display this year of all the hardwoods. Ashes just north of Parkhill Bridge over Jackson Creek quite beautiful. Location: Alll over Peterborough County Observer: Drew Monkman

Early this afternoon, I saw four Bonaparte’s Gulls swimming in the front cell at the Lakefield Sewage Lagoons. The only ducks present were four Wood Ducks which were in the back cell. There was also a single Common Buckeye butterfly on the road/path at the northeast corner of the front Read more…

Thought you might like to know I have just seen a Green-backed Heron along the Pagoda lake in Jackson Park. Have been walking there in the early mornings for many years and this is a first. Have seen many Great Blue Herons but never this little fellow. Guess he is Read more…

In the last few days, the number of White-throated Sparrows has swelled to about 12. There is roughly the same number of Purple Finches. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

I had two Black-throated Green Warblers. Location: Ecology Park Observer: Sean Smith

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 vulture with black plumage and black head flying low”. As 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 Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

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, a Hermit Thrush – along with several Ruby and Golden-crowned 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 and was able to confirm his ID. He has three Read more…