Bald Eagle: We live on the Sixth Line of Selwyn (right behind Paris Marine). I spotted this adult Bald eagle in the tree beside our house on Monday, December 18. Hope you enjoy it. Heather Turner
BAEA – Dec. 18, 2017 – Paris Marine, Selwyn Twsp – Heather Turner
Red-winged Blackbirds: My “ long overdue to leave”, so-called friends. They sometimes number over 30! (Dec. 23, 2017) Michael Gillespie, David Fife Line, Keene
Red-winged Blackbirds – Dec. 23, 2017 – Fife Line _ Michael Gillespie
This morning, there was a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds at my bird feeder. I live just east of Westwood, between Keene and Hastings, and have never noticed red-winged blackbirds here at this time of year before. Is this the new normal? Debbie Lynch, Westwood
N.B. Not the new normal, but more than usual this winter. Most years at this time there are a few reported, but usually less than five. They may be part of the same flock that has shown up on Fife Line. D.M.
RWBLs – Dec. 23, 2017 – Debbie Lynch
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (1)
– Reported Dec 22, 2017 10:00 by Dave Milsom
– 1093 Scollard Drive, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=44.3412121,-78.3001087&ll=44.3412121,-78.3001087
– Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41253932
– Comments: “female made very brief visit this morning”
Note: Also seen December 24.
Ring-necked Pheasant – female -Wikimedia
Common Ravens: On December 22, at 250 Lindsay Road, between Craftworks and Pawz-N-Train, I saw 30 ravens circling above the silo on a barn. David Beaucage-Johnson
Common Raven – Wikimedia
Carolina Wren (Northern) (Thryothorus ludovicianus [ludovicianus Group]) (1)
– Reported Dec 20, 2017 13:11 by Matthew Tobey
– Matthew’s Backyard, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41220532
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Visited feeder for a brief period; flew off before I could get a decent record shot.”
Carolina Wren (Wikimedia)
Sharp-shinned Hawk: I’m quite distraught, because a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew straight into one of our windows on December 16. Had a quick demise. This happened close to the bird feeder, which was well populated at the time. Jill Stocker, Millbrook
Sharp-shinned Hawk – window collision – Millbrook – Dec. 16, 2017 – Jill Stocker
Woodpeckers and a shrike: I had a Red-bellied Woodpecker (male) at the suet feeder and sunflower feeder yesterday and today (Dec. 17, 18). Pretty exciting -and hard to miss. It seems like all the woodpeckers – Pileated, Hairy and Downy – have been pretty active the past few days. On Dec. 21, I also had a visit from a Northern Shrike! Annamarie Beckel, Lakefield
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Lynde Creek, Whitby- Photo by Brian Crangle
Opossums and Robins: We have had visitation since late summer of a pair of Opossums….rather unusual creatures…. rather comical the way they walk and run off when you talk to them….we haven’t had problem with raccoons since they came and they don’t seem to bother our rabbits that come all year for a date wrapped in whole wheat bread…… some of my most loveable friends have been the robins we have. One we call Robbie Robin… he picked up on the feeding of rabbits in early spring and took a taste for the dates they were getting from us, so he now perches on the rail outside the patio doors, waiting for the next treat… this also lead to grapes, raisins and apples … he would come maybe 6 times a day …if we didn’t go out he started coming to the patio doors and looking in… this has been going on for 3 years……he is different than the other robins in that he has some feathers that seem to be sticking out on one side of his body…. just a few of my memories for spring, summer and fall and winter… we have the Opossum still and our lovely rabbits….. we are located on the north side of Rice Lake in the Bailieboro area on the lake……. we also have an otter and a beaver that eats cedar hedges! Esther Ross
Opossum on Johnston Drive, south of Peterborough – Mary Beth Aspinall – Feb. 2014
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) (2)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 10:13 by Scott Gibson
– aa_Peterborough – Edmison Rd right-of-way, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Media: 2 Photos
– Comments: “first birds of the day! both in same spot, 200m in from end of Edmison Rd.”
Fox Sparrow – Wikimedia
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) (1)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 10:00 by Scott McKinlay
– Peterborough, Ontario, CA (44.225, -78.293), Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “I saw this bird through my Kowa scope from considerable distance (1km?) as it was flying over an open field in full sunlight . It had broad wings and slow arching wing beats typial of large herons and cranes, and it was clearly brown in colour, even at that distance. I was reluctant to call it because of the distance and time of year, but nothing else fit. This was during our Peterborough Christmas bird count and when I reunited with the rest of the group for our sector, who had been surveying the area in the direction of my sighting, the first thing they said, before hearing about my sighting, was that they had seen what looked like a sandhill crane. They described it as being the size of a blue heron, with an outstretched neck and long trailing legs. All three birders were adamant that it was not a blue heron, and that it was lighter in colour than a blue heron. They had viewed it while it was flying low over fields just ahead and of and to the side of the car they were travelling in. They followed it and then got out of the car to watch it in binoculars as it continued to fly in my general direction. There are no photos.”
Sandhill Crane (Wikimedia)
Great Blue Heron (Paul Anderson)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Northern) (Megascops asio [asio Group]) (1)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 07:50 by Matthew Tobey
– Peterborough CBC Area 7, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “Mervin Ln.”
Eastern Screech-owl – red phase – 9th Line of Selwyn Twsp – March 11, 2017, Kathy McCue
Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) (2)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 08:30 by Scott McKinlay
– Bensfort Road Landfill Site, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) (1)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 10:13 by Scott Gibson
– aa_Peterborough – Edmison Rd right-of-way, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
– Comments: “middle of marsh”
Northern Shrike – Tom Northey
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) (1)
– Reported Dec 17, 2017 07:36 by Luke Berg
– Peterborough CBC Area 2, Peterborough, Ontario
– Map:
– Checklist:
Snow Bunting (from Crossley ID Guide)
