Large congregation of eagles in Campbellford – This morning, January 29, at Percy Reach on the Trent River south of Campbellford, there were 13 Bald Eagles waiting their turn, while 3 Eastern Coyotes ate deer on the ice. The coyotes have killed three deer in the last two weeks here. Nice watching all of this happening just 700 metres behind my house. Donald Munro
Bald Eagle on deer carcass on Woodland Drive – Peterborough – February 15, 2014 – Val Roberts
Common Redpolls in Campbellford – Here are some pictures of Common Redpolls taken January 26 and 29 in Campbellford. The flock of 250 or so birds was found on Dart Road. Donald Munro
Common Redpolls feeding – January 26, 2019 – Donald Munro
Common Redpolls in flight – January 26, 2019 – Donald Munro
Part of flock of 250 Common Redpolls – Campbellford – Jan. 29, 2019 – Donald Munro
Eagles and otter at Young’s Point – Today, January 24, I saw three immature (first-year?) Bald Eagles on the ice at Young’s Point. They were on the Katchewanooka side of the bridge where there is a long stretch of open water.There was also a River Otter, a large number of Common Goldeneye ducks, several Common Mergansers, and three Trumpeter Swans. Barb Craig, Young’s Point
Two immature Bald Eagles (3rd winter bird on left and 2nd winter bird on right) – Tim Corner
Strange fish and tadpole sighting – We have a large swamp near our house on the north shore of Stony Lake. There is a small area that never freezes – probably spring fed. Today, January 19, there was a swarming mass of dozens of 2-inch tadpoles and many 1-inch fish covering the whole area (about 2 sq. ft.) They seemed dead or barely alive. I’m not sure what the explanation might be. Maybe you or some of your readers may have some insights? Ed Duncan, Northey’s Bay Road
Tadpoles (probably Green Frog) – Ed Duncan – January 19, 2019 – Northey’s Bay
Swarming mass of tadpoles and fish – Ed Duncan – January 19, 2019 – Northey’s Bay
Bald Eagle near Norwood: Today, January 21, we saw a Bald Eagle just outside of Norwood. We were driving down our road and there was a large flock of crows on the road, in the air and perched in the trees. We were looking at them and talking about them when we realized that there was an eagle sitting in the tree at the edge of the field. Amazing! I have never seen one before.
Two or three weeks ago, we saw a hawk sitting in a tree. It was different from the red-tailed Hawks that we usually see. I was telling my neighbour about it and she said that it was an eagle. I don’t know the difference between a hawk and an eagle. Last week, she called me one afternoon and said to look out the window because there was 3 eagles flying over our yards. They just glided back and forth, heading slowly south towards Hastings, until I could no longer see them. Again, I don’t know if they were hawks or eagles, just taking her word for it. But today, this was definitely a bald eagle, and I am still excited about it. Susan Hie, Norwood
Bald Eagle – Jan. 14 2014 Woodland Drive in Peterborough – by Bill Astell
Evening Grosbeaks: I’m getting grosbeaks at my feeder daily for safflower seed. I bought a great metal hanging tray feeder at Village Pet Foods in Lakefield that they love. I’ll get upwards of six ringing the edge. I’d say I get a flock of 20 or so two or three times a day. Northern Cardinals are spotted once in a rare while. A few times a month is all. Too many Blue Jays to count. I also buy 50 pound bags of in shell peanuts once again at Village Pet Foods for my grey and red squirrels. I also got some close up shots of two flying squirrels at one of my hanging tube feeders filled with black oil on Christmas eve. It made my night. They were very curious and not afraid in the least. Mark Leslie, Centre Dummer
Flying squirrels – Mike Barker – Sandy Lake – Jan. 12, 2015
Northern Flicker at feeders – A flicker has been a regular at our feeder for the last few weeks. It has been eating the black oil sunflower seed. We back onto Harper Park. Phil McKeating, Creekwood Drive
We had a flicker at our feeder on Conger Street in Peterborough in early January. Marie Duchesneau
Northern Flicker – January 1, 2016 – Mark St. Peterborough – Helen & Larry Keller
Trumpeter Swans on Otonabee River – On Friday afternoon, Jan. 18, around 4:45 PM, I drove south from work in Lakefield along River Road and came across these three Trumpeter Swans. One looks like a juvenile. I felt very fortunate, they certainly are not a common sight. They were just north of Lock 25 on the Otonabee River. Don Koppin
Trumpeter Swans – Jan. 19, 19 – Otonabee River – Don Koppin
Hermit Thrush at Curve Lake FN – I took this photo of a Hermit Thrush on January 19. It was feeding on Staghorn Sumac behind my house at Curve Lake First Nation. It is sometimes on the ground, in the branches of the spruce tree beside our house and in the sumac around the back woodshed. Feel free to let interested birders know. We are at the end of a long driveway. The thrush was still here as of January 20. Dave Johnson, 1010 Mississauga St, Curve Lake First Nation
Hermit Thrush – January 19, 2019 – Curve Lake FN – Dave Johnson
Bald Eagles on Belmont Lake – I have a cottage on Belmont lake. We have been delighted to see soaring high above the lake a pair of Bald Eagles. For two years they have stayed close to the middle and northern sections of the lake, mostly fishing and being quite successful. I am sending you my two best shots taken from our boat, as we tried to follow yet keep a distance to not scare them away. I am also in contact with Tim Dyson, who tells me he spent several years near our lake, and spotted Bald Eagles in the winter months as well. I have also sent the information to the MNR/NHIC to update their maps. Julia Matys, Belmont Lake
Bald Eagle – Belmont Lake – summer 2018 – Julia Matys
Bald Eagle – Belmont Lake – summer 2017 – Julia Matys
Evening Grosbeaks – As of January 4, we have had a nice flock of about 24 Evening Grosbeaks hanging around our back field and feeder. One appears to be without pigment (leucistic). They really love the sumac grove on the edge of the field. We have not had Evening Grosbeaks in our area before. Gene de St. Croix, Sixth Line, Hastings
Evening Grosbeaks. Note leucistic bird third from left – Gene de St. Croix
Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans – We live on Katchewanooka Lake and in the past two days (January 9-10) I’ve seen both mature and immature Bald Eagles – three times! Each time, the bird was perched off of the ice at our shoreline. I thought perhaps the immature Bald Eagle was actually a Golden Eagle, due to its colour and size, but since we have a family of Bald Eagles nesting on one of the islands nearby, I trust that these were all Bald Eagles. We’re very lucky and tend to see them fairly often this time of year! Eagles are one of my favourite birds, such big, beautiful creatures. I’ll try to be quicker with my camera next time and will hopefully snap a photo! I also saw 5 Trumpeter Swans two days ago – 2 adults and 3 immatures. I had never seen immatures here before! They meandered by our shoreline and then headed towards the group of birds off of a nearby island. Melissa Nagy, Katchewanooka Lake
Trumpeter Swans on Katchewanooka Lake in January 2019 – Melissa Nagy
Pine Grosbeaks – On January 10-11, I had a dozen Pine Grosbeaks eating crabapples on the ground beneath the tree. Sue Paradisis, Peterborough
Pine Grosbeaks – January 10, 2019 – Sue Paradisis
Cooper’s Hawk – On Nov 18, 2018, a flock of local Rock Pigeons was raiding our backyard feeder when a Cooper’s Hawk flew in at lightening speed. The frightened pigeons took off suddenly to escape, but one of them turned into a cloud of feathers and fell to the ground. The hawk came in so fast that I failed to see it until, in an instant, it was on the ground with the dying pigeon. It sat there for a few minutes, which allowed me to take pictures and watch it before it eventually flew off with the pigeon to a nearby tree to enjoy its warm meal. Ed Lukaszewicz, Peterborough
Cooper’s Hawk on freshly-killed Rock Pigeon – Nov. 18, 2018 – Peterborough – Ed Lukaszewicz
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) (1)
– Reported Jan 08, 2019 12:54 by C Douglas
– Rice Lake–Birdsalls Wharf, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Swan seen swimming in open water east of landing. Had black face pattern and orange coloured bill. Photo taken”
Mute Swan (photo: Drew Monkman)
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) (1)
– Reported Jan 08, 2019 11:57 by C Douglas
– Rice Lake–Hiawatha (Herkimer Point), Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “Large white bird on ice. Seen through scope ”
Snowy Owl in flight – Wendy Leszkowicz
Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) (1) CONFIRMED
– Reported Jan 05, 2019 07:25 by Colin Jones
– Kawartha Nordic Ski Club trails, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “On the trail to the Bennett Cabin. Photos taken.”
Black-backed Woodpecker – Wikimedia
Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) (2) CONFIRMED
– Reported Jan 05, 2019 07:25 by Colin Jones
– Kawartha Nordic Ski Club trails, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “At W end of PL Road at a location where I’ve seen Canada Jay in the past”
Canada (Gray) Jay -Tom Northey Algonquin Park – March 2014
Coyotes & Cooper’s Hawk – We had lots of Coyote activity last night (January 2). The pack went right through our back yard again – lots of communication going on. From the tracks in the snow it would appear to be about 5 or 6 animals. This morning we have a Cooper’s Hawk on the ground about 20 feet back into the bush on the PGCC golf course property having his breakfast. The Gray Squirrel is very interested in what is going on and has been within 5 ft of the hawk! Jim Watt, Franmor Drive
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (1)
– Reported Jan 03, 2019 16:25 by Scott Gibson
– Peterborough–Little Lake, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “female/imm type bird SW shore (cemetery side) across from Beavermead beach. Viewed from cemetary. Merganser with thin bill, gradual transition b/w breast and throat.”
Female Red-breasted Merganser (Karl Egressy)
Cooper’s Hawk: Yesterday, I found the kill site of a Rock Pigeon at the side of my house. Although I hadn’t seen a Coopers Hawk for weeks, I figured it was still around, judging by how few birds had been coming to my feeders. Today, the hawk showed up and was around for hours. The squirrels were not impressed and a couple of them spent a lot of time harassing it to leave. Even a little Red Squirrel did a lot of scolding just 10 feet away. At some point in the morning when I wasn’t watching, it caught a pigeon and perched up in a spruce to eat. The squirrel chased it off so I now have a half eaten carcass decorating my tree. Sue Paradisis, Tudor Cr., Peterborough
Cooper’s Hawk eating Mourning Dove – January 2018 – Sue Paradisis
