White-throated Sparrows arrive on schedule: Right on schedule, five White-throated Sparrows arrived in our backyard this morning, the first of the fall. Some years, several dozen are here at the same time. They enjoy the finch mix (millet, nyger, sunflower seeds) I scatter on the ground each spring and fall. I expect the sparrows to stay for about a month. In the coming days, I’ll be watching for White-crowned Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos to join them in the yard. Drew Monkman, Maple Crescent, Peterborough
Juncos and White-throated Sparrows feeding on ground – (photo by Drew Monkman)
White-throated sparrow (dark stripe colour phase) (Karl Egressy)
Sharing a milkweed leaf: I’m sending along a photo of a scene from August 31 that intrigued me. These Monarch and Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars were feeding on the same leaf. I watched them for a few minutes and at times they even seemed to face each other in an unfriendly fashion but then just turned away continuing to eat! Gwen McMullen
Monarch and Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars eating together – Gwen McMullen
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (3)
– Reported Sep 24, 2019 15:49 by Andrew Brown
– Otonabee Gravel Pit Conservation Area, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Looks like yellowlegs but smaller with greenish legs. Seen bobbing its tail similar to a spotted sandpiper ”
Solitary Sandpiper (Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren)
Great Egret (Ardea alba) (1)
– Reported Sep 14, 2019 10:46 by Donald A. Sutherland
– Peterborough Landfill Wetland Project ponds, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “sontinuing, 150 m SW of pond along marsh edge”
Great Egrets south of zoo (Michele Hemery)
Great Egret (Karl Egressy)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1)
– Reported Sep 09, 2019 16:38 by Daniel Williams
– Peterborough—Maria St. to Water St., Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “Roosting in tree along lakes edge, where train tracks meet Maria St.”
Black-crowned Night heron – Carl Welbourn – May 7, 2019
Black-crowned Night Heron – juvenile – August 28, 2017 – Carl Welbourn
Big Butternut crop at Road’s End Farm: As you noted several years ago, we do have a Butternut tree quite near our farm, although it is quite old and the bottom branches are succumbing to old age. Two years ago it had a massive crop of butternuts, none last year, and some have already fallen this year although it could be that it’s too early to count the falls as ready to harvest. We also have at least one Butternut two fields over from the house, which has already dropped a great number of nuts and we’ve collected them.
I mention all of this because you or someone you might have contact with would like to have these nuts. Both of us have hand/shoulder injuries which preclude this action for us and we would be glad to let someone else have the harvest, if and when it is ready(?) and the pile which is already down and I guess should be attended to right away…or left for squirrels?
We have a good apple showing this year after none last year, both in the back yard on the Macintosh. Also, lots of fruit on the Choke Cherry trees. As for the Wild Grape abundance…it’s quite overwhelming. Dog Strangling Vine continues to spread all around the unploughed parts of our land each year. On the good side, we’ve seen more Monarchs this year than ever before. Yes, we have a lot of Milkweed. We …choke? pin? Darienne McAuley
Nuts of Butternut – Juglans_cinerea – Necrasov (Wikimedia)
Butternut leaves and bark – Drew Monkman
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) (1)
– Reported Sep 04, 2019 13:39 by Matthew Tobey
– Peterborough Airport area, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
Least Sandpiper – Wikimedia
Semipalmated Plover – Drew Monkman
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) (1)
– Reported Sep 03, 2019 12:02 by Matthew Tobey
– Peterborough Airport area, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) (1)
– Reported Sep 02, 2019 08:37 by Dave Milsom
– Chase Memorial Park, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59456290
– Comments: “Gave whinny call 2 times in response to playback.”
Eastern Screech-owl – Beaches area of Toronto – via Jamie Brockley
Cape May Warbler – Lakefield Sewage Lagoons – Sept. 2, 2019 – Drew Monkman
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) (1)
– Reported Sep 01, 2019 06:36 by Iain Rayner
– Lakefield–Sewage Lagoons, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
