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November 21st, 2008
Recent Sightings
November 18, 2008 - A quick trip to Rona Cashway in Lindsay turned into a delightful 15 minute delay, as I stood in the parking lot, watching a Northern Harrier performing its aerial acrobatics while hunting over the steep embankment below the exit ramp from Highway #7. Judy Kennedy, Lindsay
November 7, 2008 - I enjoyed a Great Horned Owl calling at my place last evening between 5 - 7 pm. Also snow buntings were flying over - there were about 30. Leslie Dyment, Cameron.
November 5, 2008 - Early birders on a November day that felt like spring went searching for the Red-bellied Woodpecker. Unfortunately, we were not succesful on that endeavour but we did manage to spot: robin, common golden eye, bluejays, chickadees, hairy and downy woodpeckers, loon, mallards, geese, house finch, pine siskins, goldfinches, red-winged blackbirds, ring-billed gull, tree sparrow and a lifer for me, a female white-winged crossbill. Eric Davis, Woodville
October 8, 2008 - Under some cloth I had used for frost protection, I found a blue-spotted salamander just hanging out! Eric Davis, Woodville
August 21, 2008 - This evening while returning to Bobcaygeon from Lindsay, I had the pleasure of watching over 40 Common Nighthawks swooping over a freshly-mown hayfield at the corner of Hwy. 36 and Beatty's Road about 5 kilometres from Bobcaygeon. They were obviously finding plenty of insects to eat in preparation for their journey southward. There were also a number of Bonaparte Gulls in the first of the Lindsay Sewage Ponds. John Bick, Bobcaygeon
August 4, 2008 - During a casual canoe paddle from McLaren's Creek into the Sturgeon Lake marsh , we were delighted to find a pair of Trumpeter Swans, one with a tag. We also heard a Common Moorhen calling, although we were unsuccessful in spotting it amongst the dense cattails. The highlight of our adventure was the discovery of a pair a black terns with two youngsters, in the shallow marshland at the north west side of the Ken Reid Rail Trail bridge. Judy Kennedy and Wayne Jolly
July 28, 2008 - My husband and I were driving from Kirkfield to Washago (road #6) (a route that I often travel) when I saw a large brown buteo sitting on a fence (just north of the liftlocks). It was brown with a lighter brown, large head, and had no markings on the head. There were white markings on the back. It seemed much larger than a red-tailed hawk which I am very familiar with.
My husband was driving and he turned the car around when I pointed it out. When we got adjacent to the bird (and slowed down) it flew away (of course!). However, my husband also had a good look at the bird as it took off, and agreed that it was much larger than a red-tailed. We have since looked up in numerous books, but cannot be sure. Neither of us has ever seen a golden eagle before, and we realize that they are very rare. Has anyone else made this sighting? Thank you. Denise Jordan, Utterson
July 25, 2008 - I spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker on Prospect Road about half way between the Lorneville Road and the Woodville Road on the west side. Eric Davis, Woodville
July 25, 2008 - This morning I took some time off from grass cutting and weeding to bird
some of the Carden Alvar along Wylie Road north of Kirkfield. I met only one other birder the entire morning. Although the pastures were as green as they usually are in June due to frequent rains this summer, the bird activity was a definite reminder that it is late July.
It was family day on Wylie Road this morning, with a least 4 families of Eastern Bluebirds, many young Eastern Kingbirds, several Barn Swallow gatherings, 4 fledged Great-Crested Flycatchers, lots of Cedar Waxwing sampling the wild cherries and overhead at least 8 Turkey Vultures circled together.There was no sign of Loggerhead Shrike in the usual spot. Further along the road a young Rose-Breasted Grosbeak was being fed by an adult male. Plenty of sparrows were seen on the roadside or on the fence wires, including Vesper, Chipping, Song, Savannah and Grasshopper (2). At the marsh, numerous Sedge Wrens were trying to out sing one another, all in plain view as were several Swamp Sparrows. One very vocal Eastern Towhee was observed here and two others were located later. No snipe or sandpipers were located.
Meanwhile back in Kirkfield, 4 Kestrels were seen honing their hovering skills. At the long swamp on Prospect Road were several singing Marsh Wrens, and one immature Virginia Rail dashed across the road. Sorry no Sora but a good mid summer outing in a very special place. John Bick, Bobcaygeon
July 1, 2008 - Had some interesting breeding birds along Northline Road between Coboconk and Rosedale this weekend, including one Upland Sandpiper, one Blue-winged Warbler, two Clay-colored Sparrows, and several Brown Thrashers, Grasshopper Sparrows and Bobolinks. The sandpiper, warbler, and CC sparrows were on the west side of the road just south of house #1190, in the general vicinity of the cart track that runs west into the fields there. I wandered in about 15 metres to look at the warbler and, to my pleasant surprise, flushed the sandpiper. Cycling the Baseline Rd. just east of Coboconk on Saturday I had a Broad-winged Hawk, two Pileated Woodpeckers, and a moose(!). Coboconk is only about 15-20 minutes east of the Carden Alvar, where #48 meets Hwy. 35. Driving south out of Coboconk (toward Lindsay) you go up a hill (active Osprey nest on the east side of #35). To reach Northline Rd., turn left (east) at the top of the hill onto the 7th Concession of Somerville. It runs east to meet Northline Rd. Travel south about 5 or 6 kms to reach #1190. Coboconk is part of the Kawartha Lakes, an excellent area for weekend naturalists to explore. It is about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto. Ron Fleming, Newmarket
June 25, 2008 - For the last couple of weeks we have had a male Ring-Necked Pheasant in our barnyard and hay fields. It seems that he is quite alone as he issues his squawking calls quite regularly with which I speculate he is hoping to attract one of his kind. Early yesterday, he paraded across our front lawn giving me good looks at his brilliant plumage.I had forgotten how a
pheasant's calls are followed by a whir of wings..quite a spectacle. My late father recalled how they were present in small flocks in this area north of Sturgeon Lake in the 1930s. This is likely a released bird but one wonders. John Bick, Bobcaygeon.
June 21, 2008 - Hello all you Birders, thought you might be interested in a recent sighting. On Thursday 19 June was driving north on Downeyville Road,just south of Tracey Hill Road and saw a Red Headed Woodpecker. On Saturday 21 June coming home from a walk at Emily Track, I saw it again in almost the same location. Derek Anderson
June 6, 2008 - I was successful this year in having Great-crested Flycatchers nest in one of my boxes. Today, with a temperature of 33 degrees C, had mom hanging out the entrance hole with her beak open. Quite a sight! Eric Davis, Woodville.
June 4, 2008 - As mentioned at the meeting Monday evening I took part and enjoyed being apart of the 24 hour Carden challenge. I had the pleasure of adding several new birds to my life list. The high point of the weekend came on Sunday while I was enjoying more of the
Alvar in its spring colour. I found with others the active nest of a Logger Head Shrike. A rare find. To date this year, there have been 6 sightings of Shrikes all with in 50 feet of fence lines. Robbie Preston
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