April 29, 2011

Today, at around noon, I first heard then observed a flock of 38 Bohemian Waxwings in flight over our house on John Street in the Avenues areas of the downtown. The flock was headed south. Yesterday (April 28th) morning there was a Nashville Warbler singing in and/or near our backyard. Read more…

April 28, 2011

This evening after the storm, my wife, Diana, pointed out to me the arrival of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on our feeder. The bird has been around all day today also. Location: Lakefield Observer: Tony Bigg

April 27, 2011

Like Colin Jones, Bob Prentice and I also saw/heard Brown Thrasher (Duoro 3rd Line, several), Yellow-rumped Warbler (about thirty by Lakefield Marsh in the campsite, and a few more elsewhere), Black-and-white Warbler (two in the Lakefield campsite) and Field Sparrow (several along Hubble Rd). We also had Eastern Towhee (Lakefield Read more…

April 27, 2011

This morning, during my cycle to work from Lakefield to Peterborough along the Rotary Trail the bird activity was very good. Apart from there being more individuals of certain species that have already been reported (e.g. Chipping Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow) I also had the following species that are at least Read more…

April 25, 2011

Walking the Bridgenorth trail early this morning I heard two Northern Waterthrushes singing. I also saw a European Hare. I met Emily Pettypiece who had just seen a Sandhill Crane on the same trail. Also along the trail Rusty Blackbirds, White-throated Sparrows, and Winter Wrens were singing, and several Wilson

April 25, 2011

I was up in the Crystal Lake-Mount Irwin area of the county today. Lots of Yellow-rumped and Pine warblers and Hermit Thrush, several Northern Waterthrush and a single Blue-headed Vireo, all singing. Lots of Chorus, Wood, and Northern Leopard frogs and Spring Peepers calling, though there was still some ice Read more…

April 24, 2011

In typical April fashion, the backyard bird chorus today was quite impressive, even at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Among the voices were flickers, robins, mourning doves, grackles, goldfinches, siskins, house finches, and juncos. Our coltsfoot and hepatica have been in bloom now for a few days. The flowers on Read more…

April 24, 2011

The female Red-bellied Woodpecker that I reported on January 17 was joined this past week by a male. They are now a couple and have set up a home in our back woods. I can’t wait to see the babies this summer; hopefully they will come to the feeder with Read more…

April 16, 2011

Tonight, my mom, my dad, and I went to look for salamanders on Camp Line and Birch View roads and we came back with spectacular results. Our total was around 70-80 individuals. There were about 25 spotted salamanders, around 55 blue spotted, and one sadly roadkill eastern newt. The highest Read more…

April 12, 2011

This morning during my dog walk at the Trent University Nature Area (Pensier trail) I saw the following species: Eastern Phoebe, 100+ Tree Swallows, Northern Flickers, 2 calling male Brewers Blackbirds (heard and seen), Yellow-rumped warbler, Golden and Ruby crowned Kinglet, a singing Winter Wren. Luke Berg Location: Trent University Read more…

April 12, 2011

Yesterday afternoon (April 11) on my way home, I saw a NORTHERN REDBELLY SNAKE on the Rotary Trail just N of Trent Univ. This morning (April 12 ), I did a little birding along Old Norwood Road and Division Road and had the following of note: GREEN-WINGED TEAL

April 12, 2011

This evening, in the roadside ditch at the junction of Lakefield Road and Woodland Dr. (just N of Trent Univ.) the Spring Peepers, Chorus Frogs and Wood Frogs were all calling in good numbers. Location: Lakefield Highway Observer: Colin Jones

April 11, 2011

Today, while checking out the loons on Little Lake, we saw many swallows flying over the lake. They were quite far away but they looked like Tree Swallows. On April 10, we saw two Wood Ducks in Cavan Swamp on Hooten Road. Location: Little Lake and Hooten Road Observer: Dave Read more…

April 11, 2011

Did a quick drive around Duoro Twp this afternoon and had a Greater Yellowlegs in the Rosmar (Bolton) Farm pond on the 8th line of Duoro and 2 Fox Sparrows on Centre Rd. between the 7th and 8th. It was fun watching a Ruffed Grouse cross the 3rd line in Read more…

April 10, 2011

Around 11:00 a.m., I watched for about half an hour a Barred Owl catching frogs in our small pond on our property . The owl used a tall deadwood as a perch. A Blue Jay kept close to the owl and when the owl caught its prey, the jay would Read more…

April 9, 2011

Today, we observed Eastern Garter Snakes in 2 mating balls just off the eastern part of the longer trail in Burnham Woods. The balls were about 3 m apart, one ball had 6-10 snakes (you try counting them!)the other was smaller, perhaps 4-8 with some moving back and forth between Read more…

April 9, 2011

With the 14C temperatures today, the clusters of Silver Maple flower buds have opened fully on many trees, giving the trees a hazy appearance. Small numbers of Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins (less than five of each) have been coming to our feeder all week. The male American Goldfinches at Read more…

April 8, 2011

Along the Parkway Trail at the water retention pond just east of Walmart, I observed 3 male Mallards verbaly harrassing a Red Fox as it patrolled the shore line. The fowll just stayed out of reach of the fox but would move to deeper water when the fox stoped to Read more…

April 8, 2011

During a sketching outing in the schoolyard today, my class found Silver Maple flower buds opening up and the stamens already protruding. We also found one Crocus in full bloom, tiger lillies starting to emerge from the ground, and lots of midges in mating swarms despite 10 C temperatures. It Read more…

April 8, 2011

Today, we saw a flock of 20 turkeys in a field on the south side of Pinehill Road north of Fowlers Corners. These turkeys put on quite a show with several of the toms displaying their tails and vivid blue heads. As we were driving by the pond on Sawyers Read more…

April 8, 2011

I spotted a Bald Eagle flying north over Division Road, just south of Douro at the beginning of March. Not sure of the exact date. My wife spotted a Bobcat in our backyard at about 8:30 a.m.on March 28th. That evening there where many vultures in our area. I also Read more…