Bats are remarkable creatures. They’re the only flying mammals in the world, and they use echolocation to catch flying insects on the wing in the dark. Imagine looking for your food with your ears… There are 8 bat species in Ontario, 4 of which are listed as Endangered on Ontario’s Species At Risk (SARO) List. … Read more
Mother’s Day is Sunday May 12th and we have some beautiful items in the shop that will make her happy. You can go pretty or practical! Pretty hats, fragrant soaps, handmade necklaces, wind chimes, Kawartha candles, garden art….or you can go with more practical items like garden tools, gloves, trugs or tea cups! We can … Read more
Some people refer to hummingbirds (“hummers” to birdwatchers) as “winged jewels,’ which is no surprise, given their small size, the males’ brilliant iridescent colours, and the way they flit about. There are 5 hummingbird species in Canada, but only one, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, in Ontario. Males have bright red throats, iridescent green backs, wings, and … Read more
https://youtu.be/LA1hBSbunus Next to Squirrels, Grackles and Starlings are the most bothersome to backyard bird feeders. They eat so much, come in large flocks and scare away the prettier birds like cardinals. During this episode of The Garden Gate I focus on types of seed and feeders that help to eliminate them from your garden and … Read more
The air will be increasingly filled with bird song this month as more species return from the south. Learning to identify birds by the sounds they make takes time and effort, but it can deepen your connection to your garden as you become increasingly aware of what’s going on around you. The words “singing” and … Read more
Spring is the time for the shop to get refilled after a busy holiday season. And it’s the time for us to add to our collection of Canadian made items. On this episode I share with you just a little of the many pieces of Canadian made metal work. Made by a number of … Read more
You may have noticed a loud, sweetly-whistled “Spring’s here!” in recent weeks. This is the song of the Black-capped Chickadee (as is the three-parted “Cheese-bur-ger!”). Many of our year-round bird residents are cavity nesters. Chickadees, nuthatches, and some woodpeckers stay here through the winter, and they’ll start their courtship activities in March. Chickadees Black-capped Chickadees … Read more
This year has been a very strange year for our birds. Early in the season we heard that we’d be getting a lot of finches, redpolls and grosbeaks due to a poor seed supply in the north. But that didn’t seem to happen. Tune in to this episode for a few ideas on where are … Read more
On this episode I welcome Martin Parker who is a long time birder and also member of the Peterborough Field Naturalists. Martin shares with us why it’s important to count birds, how it is done and the trends we’re seeing. Did you know we’re beginning to see Peregrine Falcons again!?
Birds are in Trouble! The populations of many bird species are declining. The number of individuals of many species is half what it was 4 decades ago and is expected to decrease by another half in the next 40 years. Local Ornithologist (professional bird nerd), Andrew Jobes, has written the blog posts for our monthly … Read more