The Peterborough area is blessed with an abundance of American Goldfinches, which some people call Wild Canaries. Male Goldfinches are a rich lemon-yellow, with black wings, a black tail, and a black “toupee.” Females are a paler yellow and lack the toupee (perhaps the males struggle with male pattern baldness?). Goldfinches alternate between flapping their … Read more
With the over use of plastic in the news so much lately I thought I’d share some information about reducing or reusing plastic. Use Envirosax cloth bags instead of plastic bags to reduce waste. They hold more than 50lbs of groceries and fit easily into a purse or bag. A line of bird feeders that … Read more
On this episode we share some great tips on tools you can use in the garden to make the work a little easier. Gloves, the Garden bandit, kneeling pad, all natural sunscreen and lip balm, hat etc. Plus you’ll see that I’m wearing a heat guard. Soak these neat little neck scarves in water for … Read more
The Peterborough area is blessed with an abundance of American Goldfinches, which some people call Wild Canaries. Male Goldfinches are a rich lemon-yellow, with black wings, a black tail, and a black “toupee.” Females are a paler yellow and lack the toupee (perhaps the males struggle with male pattern baldness?). Goldfinches alternate between flapping their … Read more
We have so many great locations for bird watching in our region, sometimes we just don’t know where to start! On this episode of Garden Gate I speak with local ornithologist Andrew Jobes about his favourite spots to go birding!
We have had a massive number of orioles coming to our backyards since late April.. We’ve been hearing comments from across the province that there are a LOT of orioles this year. Local ornithologist Andrew Jobes and Brenda Ibey discuss why this may be the case this year and also share a few tips on … 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
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