Sightings

A lone female Wild Turkey visited our backyard today on the edge of Peterborough. Location: Champlain Dr, Peterborough Observer: Dawson Bick

I have both a male and female Red-bellied Woodpecker coming to my feeder. Perhaps it augers well for a spring nesting. Co-incidentally, both my brother in Port Hope and my friend in Warkworth, have female Red-bellieds at their feeders, too. Location: Keene, Ontario Observer: Michael Gillespie

Yesterday, I was birding with my dad on Amherst Island..Here is a species list: ON THE FERRY: American coot 1, Canada goose 2,Mallard 4, ON THE DRIVE TO OWL WOODS: Sharp-shinned hawk 1, Cooper’s hawk ?, American starling 50+, Snow bunting 30, Mourning dove 50+, Rock pigeon 30, White-crowned sparrow Read more…

I just came home from work to find a Northern Goshawk devouring what appears to be a Mallard just at the edge of the river here in Warsaw. Very exciting.. I was able to get a little bit of video footage of it. Location: Warsaw, Ontario Observer: Maureen Smith

There were 12-15 Bohemian Waxwings in our backyard at Lock 19 today, plus on the river a Pied-billed Grebe, a Common Goldeneye and 3 Black Ducks with the Mallards. A couple of days ago a Bald Eagle flew over heading North along the river. Location: Lock 19, Otonabee River, Peterborough Read more…

There is a Northern Cardinal singing (first of the year, for me) this morning (0720h) in our backyard on John Street in the Avenues area of downtown Peterborough. (N.B. I heard a cardinal singing in late December of 2010 on Maple Crescent. Apparently they’ve been known to sing every month Read more…

Last winter, we had a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a male, who stayed all winter and left in the spring. This year we have a female Red-bellied. Location: The Glen [Westview Dr.] near Pigeon Lake Observer: Blair Hamilton

I had an adult Cooper’s Hawk in the yard today. It perched on our fence and proceeded to pick apart and devour a small bird it had caught. Location: Montcalm Drive, Peterborough Observer: Margo Hughes

We, too, have had a Red bellied Woodpecker hanging around here for the last month. Location: Bethel Road, Emily Township Observer: Doug Lawson

A Red Bellied Woodpecker has been frequenting our feeder for a few days. I also saw a Snowy Owl today. This is the 2nd one this winter. Just before Christmas there was a Cormorant in some open water in front of our neighbours home. We watched it one day as Read more…

One afternoon during the Christmas holidays, we noticed a robin-like bird land in the yard. It was about the same size as a robin, with a black head and beak, an orange breast, and a distinctive black V on the chest. It was a Varied Thrush. It drops by at Read more…

A Bald Eagle was sited at Upper Buckhorn near the Buckhorn Yacht Harbour. The bird was on the ice and very close to open water. It appeared through the binoculars that he was feasting on a fish. Magnificent bird! Location: Buckhorn Lake Observer: Derry Fairweather

Over the last week at Little Lake, I’ve seen 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Glaucous Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull, 30 American Robins, 6 Common Mergansers, and 20 Common Goldeneyes. Location: Little Lake Observer: Randy Smith

Terrible weather conditions of incessant rain and thick fog did not deter 22 hardy birders from attending today`s OFO (Ontario Field Ornithologists) trip in the Peterborough area. Despite the weather, there were some good sightings : 30 Bohemian Waxwings close to Lakefield College in Lakefield; 100 + Snow Buntings on Read more…

We woke at 8:30 a.m. to the sound of three beagles chasing a Coyote in the middle of Lower Buckhorn Lake. Hunters appeared but were not successful in shooting the coyote who wandered across the lake. Location: Lower Buckhorn Lake Observer: Rose Mary Rosada

Today, I saw a Lesser Scaup (perhaps the same one that was seen during the Peterborough CBC on Dec 19th) on the river in Lakefield between the campground beach and the marina. Also, flying down the lake and over the Lakefield Marsh was a flock of about 50 Snow Buntings. Read more…

At or near my feeders over the past 3 days have been Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Song, White-thr. and White-crowned sparrows, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Shrike, Cooper’s Hawk and many more common birds. Location: Scollard Drive off Cunningham off Armour Rd. opposite the zoo in Peterborough Observer: Dave Milsom

All fall and thus far this winter, our suet and peanut feeders have been popular with Downy, Hairy, and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker. The big Red-Bellied comes several times a day. The smaller Downy and Hairy have to back off and wait for their turns when he arrives. Location: Montcalm Drive, Read more…

There was a Merlin in our backyard today, perched on the pool fence. Location: 244 Patricia Crescent, (off Fairbairn St., just north of Lily Lake Road) Observer: Lowell Lunden

I finally had some Common Redpolls (3) at my feeder in Cavan today. Location: Cavan Observer: Scott McKinlay

I saw a Bald Eagle today in front of our cottage in a pine tree. Location: Lower Buckhorn Lake Observer: Rose Mary Rosada

There has been a Pied-billed Grebe on the Otonabee River in Peterborough (just north of the train bridge near the Holiday Inn). We saw it again this morning. (Note: This species is quite rare in the Kawarthas in winter, but does occasionally turn up on Christmas Bird Counts. D.M.) Location: Read more…

This morning I watched a Glaucous Gull flying up and down the Otonabee River just south of Lakefield. I also saw a Pied-billed Grebe on the far shore near the first islands south of Lakefield. On Tuesday Dec 14 I saw an Ermine (Short-tailed Weasel) cross the path in front Read more…

50 + Bohemian Waxwings 2510 Bensfort Rd. Highland Park Cemetery. Also 5 Common Goldeneye on river beside Little Lake Cemetery. Location: Peterborough Observer: Ken Rumble

This morning, December 11, there were at least four American Robins at the corner of Norwood Terrace and Glencairn Avenue. Three were calling. My wife, Kathy, also had an Eastern Chipmunk at the feeders iin the backyard yesterday. Location: Westbrook Drive, Peterborough Observer: Martin Parker

This afternoon, we were out walking the perimeter path on the farm with the dogs when we were suddenly amazed to see a young white-tailed buck leaping across the field beside us. He disappeared behind the old fieldstone barn. But then, about one minute later, we were literally struck dumb Read more…

Today there was a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings on the Old Keene Road south of the village of Assumption. There was also a very large (possibly) Cooper’s Hawk at Trent University that flew over the science complex parking lot today. I regularly see a male Cooper’s Hawk hunting the Read more…

Sightings of winter birds are definitely on the increase. Today I had a flock of Cedar Waxwings on the 7th Line of Smith west of Miller Creek. Anne Anthony and Jerry Ball had a flock of Bohemian Waxwings containing a few Cedar Waxwings behind the Beer Store in Bridgenorth. At Read more…

There was also a flock of over 300 Snow Buntings and 2 Lapland Longspurs on County Road 2 just east of Baillieboro today. There were also 7 Red-tailed Hawks between Baillieboro and Bensfort Bridge. However, it is the first year in about 5 years that I haven’t seen harriers and Read more…

Today at Boschink Narrows on Stony Lake, some new birds for the fall included Evening Grosbeaks, a Northern Shrike and a mature Bald Eagle. Location: Boschink Narrows, Stony Lake (Take Northey’s Bay Rd. south to Fire Route 10 and follow to lake.) Observer: Rob Welsh