Local Photographer Captures Late Spring Magic With Nature

PTBOCanada is proud to support all things Peterborough including this wonderful photo gallery by Dave Ellis Photography.

Fox kit happily playing with a stick. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Two fox kits playing tag. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

A sandhill crane family with two young colts. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Two young sandhill crane colts. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Sandhill crane colt that could be thinking, “Look mom! I can fly!” Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Fritillary butterflies pollinating. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Male wood duck provides a splash of colour. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Common loon on the nest. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Great horned owl with her young ones on the nest. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Bald eagle feeding its young chick on the nest. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Osprey feeding its chick on the nest. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Young deer fawn exploring its new world. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Male wild turkey displaying for potential female mates. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Local Photographer Has Nature Come Alive In Spring Wildlife Gallery

A big black bear digging for grubs along the edge of the water. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

A family of young raccoons out explore their new world. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

As soon as the great blue herons return they go to the rookeries and start their nesting season. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

As the loons come back to the north, they are quite hungry and catch whatever fish they can. This one swallowed this fish whole. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Bald Eagles are caring for the young eagles by now. They began nesting earlier in the year. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Beautiful young fox kits are out exploring. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

By late spring, the young eagles have gotten quite large. It will not be long before they are ready for their first flight. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Common mergansers play around as they catch fish under the last of the ice remaining in the coves of the lakes. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Eagles began nesting earlier in the winter but now they are bringing fresh straw to insulate the newly born young ones. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Fritillary butterflies are busy feeding on fresh flowers. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Great horned owls are spectacular raptors that are fiercely protective of their nests. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Great numbers of swans pass through southern Ontario as they head north this time of year. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Mom is returning from a day of hunting and greets her young ones. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

The Ospreys get right to work rebuilding and repairing their nests as soon as they return from the south. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

The young Canada geese are always a beautiful heartwarming sight. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

The young herons grow fast. In a short time they will be ready to leave the nest. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

There are as many as 21 turtles on one log here in the Kawarthas. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Wild turkeys are going into their mating season and the toms are strutting their stuff. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Wood ducks are pairing up and looking for nesting spots. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Young fox kits playing in the sunshine. Photo Courtesy of Dave Ellis Photography.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Otonabee Conservation Offers Tree Seedling Sales Program

Otonabee Conservation is encouraging landowners in the Otonabee Region Watershed to enhance their property and help to fight climate change by planting trees.

Each year, Otonabee Conservation offers a wide selection of native tree and shrub species for landowners to purchase. Orders can be placed online at otonabeeconservation.com.

“Trees play an important role in maintaining a healthy and resilient natural environment—planting more trees will help us fight climate change,” says Meredith Carter, Manager of the Watershed Management Program at Otonabee Conservation. “Last year, 89 landowners in our watershed purchased and planted 8,450 trees and shrubs through our Tree Seedling Sales Program. This will translate to approximately 2 million kg of sequestered Carbon over the lifetime of these trees!”

Meredith Carter, Manager of Watershed Management Programs at Otonabee Conservation, holds a bare root tree that was one of 4,500 trees planted at a watershed resident’s property in Otonabee South Monaghan Township last fall. (Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation)

WHAT YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM

Landowners can choose from a variety of coniferous and deciduous trees and wildlife shrubs, including: White Pine, Eastern White Cedar, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Highbush Cranberry, and Buttonbush, along with some unique species such as Tulip Tree, Bitternut Hickory, and Serviceberry. The minimum order is 25 seedlings of a selected species.

Orders can be submitted online now, for pickup in Spring 2021, with an order deadline of March 21st. Otonabee Conservation expects the seedlings to arrive at the conservation authority office in late April, at which time landowners will be contacted and pick-up times will be arranged. 

Details about the Otonabee Conservation Tree Seedling Sales Program and the online ordering system are available here.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

The Lakefield Trail Launches 20th Anniversary Photo Contest

The Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee invites people to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Lakefield Trail in 2021 by entering your photos in a yearlong photo contest. 

“It has always been a very well used recreational trail, but this year it has been critical infrastructure in our village,” says Bruce Bellchambers, Chair of the Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee. “Physical and mental health is so important and our trail is accessible for all to enjoy.”

The Lakefield Millennium Trail opened in 2000 as way to celebrate the new millennium and the 125th anniversary of the Village of Lakefield. So many natural and historic locations along the trail result in wonderful photo opportunities. 

The Lakefield Trail photo contest will run for all four seasons of 2021. Photos must be taken with at least one foot on the Trail and then emailed here.  

For more info, check out contest details here and a map of the trail here.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

The Canadian Canoe Museum Has Announced The Purchase Of Johnson Property

The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) and the City of Peterborough have announced the conditional purchase and sale of Johnson Property, the City-owned land at 2077 Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough.

City Council approved the direction to proceed with the sale of the land on Monday subject to a number of conditions including rezoning. Project validation and confirmation of site appropriateness are among the additional conditions that must be met to close the deal. CCM will pay $1.575 million for the five acres of land in a transaction expected to be completed by this summer.

Image courtesy Canadian Canoe Museum

The museum intends to sell its current property at 910 Monaghan Road to help fund the new build project.

“Kicking off the New Year with this key milestone realized drives further momentum to our new world-class museum build,” says Carolyn Hyslop, executive director, The Canadian Canoe Museum. “In less than a year, we’ve moved from walking away from a contaminated site to forming a new build project team and identifying and securing an alternate location. The purchase of a viable new site puts our project firmly on-track to be shovel-ready by the end of this year.”

“The new location for The Canadian Canoe Museum will enhance the waterfront experience in Peterborough with the location next to Little Lake and along the Trans Canada Trail network,” says Councillor Gary Baldwin, City Council’s representative on the Canadian Canoe Museum Board. “It’s an ideal location beside parks and greenspaces with nearby public parking at East Gate Park and Beavermead Park, as well as easy access to Highway 7/115.”

Image courtesy Canadian Canoe Museum

PROJECT PARTNERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING

Architect: Lett Architects Inc., Peterborough
General Contractor: Chandos Construction Ltd, Toronto
Structural Engineering: LEA, Markham, Ont.
Mechanical trade partner: Kelson Mechanical, Sharon, Ont.
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering: DG Biddle & Associates, Oshawa
Mass Timber trade partner: Nordic Structures, Montreal
Electrical trade partner: Lancer Electric, Peterborough
Environmental: Cambium Inc., Peterborough
Civil Engineer: Engage Engineering, Peterborough
Geotech/Hydrogeological: Thomas Grace & Associates, Lindsay
Conservation: Michael Harrington, JHG Consulting Network Inc., Merrickville, Ont.

Johnson Property is situated on Little Lake, north of Beavermead Park and south of the Parks Canada-Trent Severn Waterway head offices. The new canoe museum will be built on a flat portion of the property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive so as to preserve the existing trail, shoreline and natural waterfront.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

$215,000 Federal Investment Supports Work Of Kawartha Land Trust To Protect Cation Wildlife Preserve

On Saturday (June 22nd), Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development, Minister for Women and Gender Equality, and Member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha, announced on behalf of Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, that the Government of Canada invested $215,000 in support to the work of the Kawartha Land Trust for the protection of the Cation Wildlife Preserve.

“We are on track to meet our climate change targets because we have a 50-point plan and it’s working,” says Monsef. “It includes pollution pricing, phasing out coal and plastics, investing in clean technology and protecting our land and waters. The protection of the Cation Wildlife Preserve is part of our government’s plan to double the amount of nature protected in our lands and oceans.”

MP Maryam Monsef speaks with crowd at the grand opening of the Cation Wildlife Preserve.

Kawartha Land Trust acquired land donated by David and Sharon Cation and conserved land, adding 270 hectares to Canada's protected areas network.

The Cation Wildlife Preserve is in a natural conservation corridor that sits right in the middle of several important protected areas including Balsam Lake, Indian Point, and Queen Elizabeth Wildlands Provincial Parks, the Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve and the Carl Sedore Wildlife Management Area.

Tara King, development manager for Kawartha Land Trust, with MP Maryam Monsef

The 668.5-acre Cation Wildlife Preserve includes marked trails for passive recreational use by the public, such as hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

“We are grateful for the federal government's contribution to support the protection of the Cation Wildlife Preserve and also Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Ecological Gift program that provides tax incentives to land owners to protect private lands in perpetuity,” says Tara King, Kawartha Land Trust Development Manager. “This landscape is vibrant and so full of life.”

Dave and Sharon Cation address crowd at the grand opening of the Cation Wildlife Preserve

The celebratory grand opening of the Cation Wildlife Preserve featured guided tours of the trails to the general public.

Dave Cation points out something in the distance during a guided walking tour

“Canadians like the leaders at Kawartha Land Trust asked our government to introduce a program to incentivize more conservation, and we listened,” adds Monsef. “Working together, we will ensure the wealth of our region is protected for our kids and grandkids.”

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

A Snowy Owl On Christmas Eve At Peterborough Airport

[UPDATE: December 28th: After seeing our post, Peterborough Airport says in a tweet that the snowy owl lives at the airport every winter. “She can be seen perched all over the airport and stays well clear of the runways.”]

———————-

ORIGINAL POST

We’re not sure if this snowy owl was at the airport hoping for a flight to warmer parts but whatever the case naturalist Drew Monkman was there and caught beautiful pictures of the bird there on Christmas Eve.

Photo by Drew Monkman

Drew says he first saw the adult white owl perched on a red-roof building adjacent to Flying Colours at the very end of Brealey Drive, and then it flew to the runway taxiway sign where Drew caught these amazing pics.

Photo by Drew Monkman

Drew tells PTBOCanada the pictures “were taken with a 600mm lens and then cropped, and photographed from Flying Colours parking lot.”

Photo by Drew Monkman

[UPDATE No. 2]: Drew also snapped another picture of the owl more recently at the airport…

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

Here Are Updates On Peterborough Earth Dams

Parks Canada has been rehabilitating the earth dams along the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough. Earth dams are vital for flood mitigation and therefore the safety of visitors, residents and property. These investments will further reduce the risk of flood damage along the canal corridor.

After beginning work in the fall of 2015, it has reached the active heavy construction phase this past spring. Below are updates for specific areas.

Work continues along the Earth Dam south of Parkhilll road in Peterborough

THE EARTH DAM AT THOMPSONS BAY IN NORTH PETERBOROUGH

This was the first to reach the construction phase and is now nearing the final stages of work. At this location, all vegetation has been removed, the dam strengthened, and the new earthen material compacted into place. The water facing side of the dam has also been repaired and armoured with rock. The final stages of work will see additional top soil added to the berm followed by a re-greening of the surface using a specially developed seed mix of tall grasses. The work is slated to completed by mid- to late-September.

THE HURDONS EARTH DAM & CURTIS CREEK EARTH DAMS

At these locations along the western shoreline north of Parkhill Road and the eastern and western shorelines south of Parkhill Road, the contractor continues to remove vegetation—particularly tree roots—which posed a threat to the long term reliability of the earth dams. Work along the dry surfaces will continue late into the fall with the in water work occurring after the close of the Trent-Severn Waterway’s navigation season. 

PETERBOROUGH EARTH DAMS

Large sections of Trent-Severn Waterway shoreline within the City of Peterborough are engineered structures designed to keep water inside the canal and out of adjoining neighbourhoods. In 2015, Parks Canada announced a project to rehabilitate more than 2 km of these earth dams.

The major repairs to the Earth dams throughout Peterborough began in November 2015 and are estimated to continue until Summer 2019. In order to rehabilitate and strengthen these dams, washouts will be repaired, dam height will be increased where necessary and vegetation will be removed. 

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ENJOY THE EARTH DAMS WHEN COMPLETE

Following the completion of repairs, the dams will be green-scaped with beneficial plants like milkweed, wildflowers and tall grasses. Recognizing the part the earth dams play as public green spaces, Parks Canada will be formalizing the walking trails at these sites at the end of the project so that they can be better enjoyed by members of the community.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

Portion Of Rotary Greenway Trail Now Has Lighting

Thanks to a generous grant received from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, the Rotary Greenway Trail Link between Water Street and the main Rotary Greenway Trail now has lighting.

The lighting system uses energy efficient LED lamps that focus the light downward and along the trail and meets dark sky standards. The lighting system only uses the equivalent of 5 ½ 100 w bulbs, which is an impressively low amount of energy. The project donor placed environmental sustainability as a high priority, which is also why the lighting system was installed with direct mount poles to minimize impact to existing vegetation and trees.

Students from both TASSS and Trent University will benefit from the trail lighting—particularly those involved in extracurricular activities or evening lectures who use the trail outside of the eight solid hours of daylight during the darker months of the year.

As well, the lighting will open this part of the trail for more use by residents of the Whitaker Mills Condominiums and the Waverley Heights subdivision, who use the trail to get to and downtown and other parts of the City.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre In Peterborough Has Nearly 2,000 Eggs In Its Care

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) currently has nearly 2,000 eggs in its care during the busy current nesting season when so many injured turtles were brought in.

OTCC says on their Facebook page they are "currently incubating eggs from 6 species found in Ontario: Blanding's turtles, wood turtles, eastern musk turtles, northern map turtles, snapping turtles, and painted turtles."

Blanding's turtle eggs

OTCC encourages people to bring injured turtles to the centre, even if they think the turtle may already be dead. The reason: OTCC can retrieve and incubate the eggs that a female turtle had been carrying, so that the misfortunate event that injured or killed the mother does not have to determine the fate of her eggs as well.

This initiative is incredibly worthwhile, as 7 of Ontario's 8 turtle species are species at risk, including the Blanding's turtle (pictured above), which is a threatened species in Ontario.

Snapping turtle eggs

The round shape of snapping turtle eggs (pictured above) make them easy to identify, as other Ontario turtles lay oval eggs, according to OTTC's Facebook page post. The large body size of snapping turtles allow them to carry and lay the largest number of eggs in a single clutch. Snapping turtles can lay more than 50 eggs per clutch, while other Ontario species typically lay anywhere from 3-20 eggs in a clutch.

Painted turtle eggs

OTCC says they'll be sharing photos of the hatchlings once they start breaking out of their eggs over the next couple weeks to make sure to "Like" OTCC on Facebook to see the results!

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (ptbo_canada). Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.