Sightings

Today, I had a Hummingbird Clearwing moth coming to my flower garden. I didn’t recognize it as an insect at first but thought rather that it was a small hummingbird. Location: Allum Road, Peterborough Observer: Eric Munro

At 8:15 pm, two Common Nighthawks flew over Gilcrest Bay on Stony Lake. Location: Gilcrest Bay on Stony Lake Observer: Rob Welsh

My sister and I were at my campsite today (Woodland campsite on Upper Buckhorn Lake). My site faces a marshy part of the lake with logs and grasses growing in abundance. About 4:30 PM a crow-sized bird flew in to the shoreline that looked heron-like. We observed it closely for Read more…

At 6:30 p.m. today, the Peregrine Falcon was seen sitting on the railing on the roof of the Quaker building. I viewed it from Hunter Street Bridge. It stayed perched the whole time. Location: Quaker building, Hunter Street Observer: Brendan Boyd

A Peregrine Falcon was observed sitting on the top of Robinson Place (provincial gov’t building) from 11 am into the afternoon on July 13 and could be seen from Water Street. It was not banded. Many MNR workers in the building got to see it sitting on the Ontario trillium Read more…

We have recently noticed a trio of Merlins in our backyard, feasting on local birds on the neighbor’s roof, in East City. I was able to get some great photos yesterday. Location: East City (east side of Peterborough) Observer: Marlene Stamler

Last Saturday evening around 8 p.m. while walking the dog around the pond in the industrial park in south Peterborough, we spotted a Coyote just to the east of the big dirt pile to the north of Fisher Drive. It had come from the south and was heading north. I Read more…

Tonight at dusk, there was an Eastern Screech Owl calling from just below my back yard along Cavan Creek in Cavan. It was mostly doing the whinny call, but responded with a trill when I attempted to call back. Location: Cavan Observer: Scott McKinlay

A pair of Chimney Swifts has nested this spring/summer in a tall chimney behind the Peterborough Pet Hospital on Lansdowne Street. Apparently the nest is visible from the room from which the chimney extends. Location: Lansdowne Street, Peterborough Observer: Betty Hinton

Today, I had a new butterfly species in the garden – a Silver-spotted Skipper. This large, fast-flying skipper is easy to identify, given the prominent silver patch on the underside of the hindwing. It was nectaring at my Joe-Pye Weed. Monarchs continue to come everyday, as well. Yesterday, I saw Read more…

Here are a couple of interesting butterfly and moth notes from June 16 and 18 from Blair Hamilton. “I have fenced off two small patches of my front lawn where I have a lot of American Lady larva on some Pussy Toes and might forget and cut them when I Read more…

We are so excited to have a nest of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in a cavity of one of our aspen trees. Perfectly round hole and situated just right so I can see the feeding ritual. The young have been calling for days now and our forest is never quiet. These little Read more…

Today I watched a female Monarch butterfly depositing eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves in our garden. Each egg looks like a tiny, white cylinder, smaller than the head of a pin. Both a small, young plant and a 5′ high mature plant were selected for egg-laying. Location: Maple Read more…

The albino Common Grackle has been seen in our yard in the north end of Peterborough in recent days. I was able to get a number of good pictures of it. (Note: this bird has also been seen by many people on Montcalm Drive – D.M.) Location: 222 Farrier Cres., Read more…

Nancy Harrison, who lives near Indian River, reports thousands of bees coming in the evening to the maple and elm trees near her house. According to local bee expert Glen McMullen, elms can attract bees by emitting sugar and alcohol compounds when the trees are stressed. According to WalterReeves.com, elms Read more…

This morning I heard my first cicada of the summer. It was calling in our backyard. Location: Maple Crescent, Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

We have had a bear sighting on our property. A B&B guest was walking past our pond on Tuesday, June 26 around 11:00 a.m. and an “adult black bear came from the edge of the pond, stood on its hind legs, looked at her and ambled (south) into the bush” Read more…

A pair of Sandhill Cranes and their chick can be seen foraging in the field just behind our house. We live a couple of houses down from the Miller Creek trail and this is the second year that we have been fortunate enough to have these lovely birds so close Read more…

For the past two days I have had a young, pure white Common Grackle in my yard. It follows one of its parents around and is being fed. Location: Observer: Paul Corp

For the past two days we have seen an Eastern Towhee on Birchview Rd across from #1641 near McCrackens Landing. We frequently see the Indigo Bunting in this area, too. Location: across from #1641 on Birchview Road near McCrackens Landing on Stony Lake Observer: Lynne Cotton

Today, the Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) visited a bog near Chandos Lake. Large numbers of Rose Pogonia (100+) and lesser numbers of Swamp Pink orchids (30?) were in flower. Some other plants of interest included Round-leaved Sundew, Pitcher Plant, Bog Rosemary, Marsh Cinquefoil, Small-leaved Cranberry, Yellow (Whorled) Loosestrife, Bog Laurel, Read more…

Today, I spotted a Black-crowned Night Heron at Beavermead Park at around 8 am. It was in the creek near the other side of the new chip truck. I flushed it from the water’s edge into a tree on the other side of the creek, and could clearly see the Read more…

Today, when I was at a cottage on Stony lake, I found a Bonaparte’s Gull in with a flock of Ring-billed Gulls. It was still in first winter plumage. Location: Stony Lake Observer: Luke Berg

I walked the Bridgenorth Trail this evening with my daughter, Sophie. We heard a Black-billed Cuckoo calling repeatedly at the Bridgenorth end of the trail. We also tried shaking the branches of the cedar trees and, sure enough, a cloud of 2 mm-long Argyresthia moths filled the air each time. Read more…

So many of us have been noticing the browning and general deterioration of the cedars this spring. I was showing some people who were here at our house tonight that if you shake the branch of a cedar, a swarm of tiny white moths flies out so I guess the Read more…

Today I saw my first White Admiral of the spring. Location: Buckhorn Observer: Drew Monkman

Today I birded the Carden Alvar, north of Kirkfield. I recorded 80 species: Wood Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, Common Loon, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, American Bittern, Sora, Virginia Rail, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Cooper

I just had a wonderful experience. Tonight, at about 9:30 p.m., I decided to walk the Parkway Trail home from Chemong Rd (going east). I walked all the way to Hilliard Street and back because of the most amazing show of fireflies I have ever seen. It was a perfect Read more…

Today around 12:00 pm on County Road 8 at Burn’s Bridge in Douro I spotted a mother Black Bear and her two young cubs. This is the second time this week I have seen them. I got a good view of the cubs this time. They are very small. I Read more…

This morning I checked out the Fairbairn Marsh at 6:30 p.m. Lots of bird activity including Virginia Rail (in response to tape) and Willow Flycatcher, 12 Tree Swallows, 2 Barn Swallows, etc. There is also a Black-billed Cuckoo in the area but I’ve yet to hear it. Further down Fairview Read more…