Sightings

Today, I flushed two separate Song Sparrows from their nests next to trails. One had 4 eggs, the other 5. Location: Cavan Creek Observer: Scott McKinlay

Today, a culvert near the hamlet of Douro still contained large numbers of Canadian Worms (Aporrectodea tuberculata) swimming under the water. The worms average about 4″ to 6″ long. On April 21st, the mass was about 6′ by 4′ by 6″ and probably included many thousands of individual worms. In Read more…

A Baltimore Oriole appeared in our yard today. Location: Bethel Road, Emily Township Observer: Doug Lawson

Pin Cherry and Juneberry (Amelanchier) are now in bloom in my yard. With the continued cool, wet weather, there were large numbers of swallows -mostly Tree Swallows – feeding over the Otonabee today between the zoo and Lakefield. In most sections of the river where I stopped (as far north Read more…

The cool weather this week, with night-time temperatures a few degrees below zero, has temporarily slowed the progression of leaf-out. As we begin May, the maples are still mostly clad in flowers with leaves just beginning to emerge. The overall appearance is one of a green pastel gauze. There are Read more…

During the snow storm this afternoon, I was at the end of North School Rd in Youngs Point at the marsh, and there were lots of White Trilliums already in bloom. I don’t think I have ever seen that in April before. I also got to view an American Woodcock Read more…

We are now seeing a Brown Thrasher and several White-throated and White-crowned sparrows at our feeder. A Wild Turkey crossed our lawn. Location: Lily Lake Road Observer: Gord Mallory

Today, while walking the dogs in Petroglyphs Provincial Park, we heard an Ovenbird singing along the park road just north of the entrance kiosk. Location: Petroglyphs Provincial Park Observer: Don Sutherland

At our feeders at Mt Julian (Twp. North Kawartha) we observed an influx of White-throated Sparrows, accompanied by our first White-crowned Sparrow. A single, lingering Evening Grosbeak was joined by four Pine Siskins and three Purple Finches. In the nearby woods we saw/heard Black-throated Green (2), Blackburnian Warbler (1) & Read more…

We saw our first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year. Location: Bethel Road, Emily Township Observer: Doug Lawson

Today, while conducting chorus frog surveys in the Ennismore-Buckhorn-Nogies Creek area, I encountered Northern Waterthrushes at more than a dozen sites, a single singing Palm Warbler and a House Wren. Lots of herps: Midland Chorus Frogs (calling at 37 locations, some of which had been ice- and snow-bound last weekend), Read more…

Today, while working in the yard, I heard and saw a Least Flycatcher (early be at least two weeks) and a Red Admiral butterfly. Ruby-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows were singing all day, as well. Unlike Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowneds respond well to pishing. One came within a metre of me. Read more…

This morning, while cycling around the Forest Hill-Pinehill Dr. neighbourhood between Parkhill and Weller, in Peterborough, I encountered three Bohemian Waxwings (late date?) in a flock of 23 Cedar Waxwings on Fenwood Circle. (N.B. This is a very late date for Bohemians to still be in our area. They usually Read more…

A pair of late Pine Grosbeaks has been visiting Paul Burke’s feeder in Peterborough. One of the birds appears to be injured. It was still present on April 25. The other bird was not seen after April 15. These are about the latest records for Pine Grosbeak for the County Read more…

The first tulips in our front garden (eastward facing) bloomed today. Some lawns in the city now have Dandelions in bloom. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Two Caspian Terns were sitting on a rock in the Otonabee River on Water Street just north of Hilliard in the small park where you can pull off. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Jerry Ball and I traveled up to Sandy Lake Rd and area today and found five species of butterfly. Surprisingly the most numerous were Henry

As weather in the low 20s continues, flowers are completely out on all Norway Maples and some Sugar Maples. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

Today is the fifth straight day with temperatures in the twenties. The catkins are already piling up on the road under Carolina Poplars and fallen flowers litter the ground under Silver Maples. Leaves are almost out on lilacs, red elder and other early leafing species. Bloodroot is in flower in Read more…

My first Yellow Warbler of the year was singing across from my place (1798 Young’s Pt.Road, Lakefield) this afternoon. (Note: This may be a record early date, the earliest previous date being April 24th according to Sadler’s “Our Heritage of Birds” – D.M.) Location: Lakefield Observer: Myles Falconer

The flooded field at the corner of Smith-Ennismore Fifth Line and Centre Line resonated with calling leopard frogs, chorus frogs and several American Toads. Location: Peterborough Observer: Drew Monkman

This morning, during an Earth Day nature hike at Lakefield Marsh that Jerry Ball and I led, we watched a pair of very noisy and pugnacious Merlins. Their nest is easily visible in a tree opposite house #51 near the Marshland centre. Tony Bigg had found the birds and nest Read more…

Under the full moon and in the unseasonably warm temps, Jon and I heard 5 Anuran species calling simultaneously in our neighborhood: 1 American Toad, 2 Leopard Frogs, and full choruses of Wood Frog, Chorus Frog and Spring Peeper. (N.B. This is an extremely early date for toads. They usually Read more…

I saw my first Broad-winged Hawk of the year, south of Havelock, and heard several Virginia Rails (also my first) north of Havelock. I also saw a flock of five Bohemian Waxwings in the business district of downtown Havelock. White-throated Sparrows singing in suitable habitat (though much of it still Read more…

Jerry Ball and I watched the Lake Katchewanooka Bald Eagles feeding their two eaglets today. The eaglets appeared to still be all white and quite small, maybe Rock Pigeon size. We also recorded 8 Greater Yellowlegs in a vernal pond just north of Young’s Point and at least 20 Mourning Read more…

Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were in a wet field at the corner of the Centre Line of Smith and the 5th (NE corner) this afternoon. Several Wilson’s Snipe fly about also. Location: Centre Line of Smith Observer: Anne Anthony

The Hepatica in my garden was in bloom today. Location: Observer:

This morning the ice on Stoney is very black and honeycombed in the main part of the lake. It is open from Burleigh Falls to Juniper and the Church and around the islands in Boschink Narrows. We’ve paddled since Wednesday. Many Common Mergansers and Ring Necks with small flocks of Read more…

While conducting surveys for Chorus Frog, I encountered individual, singing Pine Warblers at about a half dozen locations between Burleigh Falls, Buckhorn, Bobcaygeon and Bridgenorth. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow was with Tree and Barn Swallows over open water at Buckhorn, and Brown Thrasher and Eastern Towhee were encountered near Ennismore Read more…

Jon and I encountered a Northern Redbelly Snake this afternoon crossing the gravel rail trail just a little north of Trent University yesterday. This area (about 500 m to 1 km N of the start of the trail at Trent) also presently has choruses of Chorus Frog, Wood Frog and Read more…