After the fall equinox this week, our days will become shorter even more rapidly. Trees and plants produce less chlorophyll because of the shorter daylight hours. Red Maples are already changing colour and other trees have a tinge of yellow.
Canadian Canoe Museum
The Canadian Canoe Museum on the shore of Little Lake is one of our favourite places to visit in Peterborough.
The museum focuses on the history of the canoe and its significance in the lives of the peoples of Canada.
Because the weather was so glorious, we spent most of our time outdoors. The site has docks and a canoe shed with canoes and kayaks for rent.
Native plants and bushes have been planted throughout the property.
We spotted this Red-tailed Hawk on the lower branch of a tree.
It was peering intently into the tall plants below it.
The hawk dove down but quickly emerged from the undergrowth and flew off, apparently having missed its prey. Such is the life of a raptor.
The Trent-Severn Waterway
A short walk away, we stopped to watch watercraft moving through the Ashburnham lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a 386-kilometre-long series of interconnected lakes, rivers, canals and locks from Lake Ontario at Trenton to Lake Huron on Georgian Bay at Port Severn. North of Rice Lake, the waterway follows the Otonabee River through Peterborough to Little Lake and into the Trent Canal before it rejoins the Otonabee.
At the Ashburnham lock, boats move from Little Lake into the canal. Once the gates behind the boat are closed, water pours into the lock from the canal that is at a higher level.
Once the boat reaches the level of the canal, the front gates are opened to let the boat to move up the canal. All of the gates are hand-operated by Parks Canada staff using manual turnstiles and hand winches .
Once the gates are open, watercraft descending the canal move into the lock. When the gates are closed, water is released from the lower gates so the craft can enter the lake. The next day, we would take the ferry on the right through this lock and through the lift lock farther up the canal.
Through the Ashburnham lock on the ferry.
Approaching the lift lock. The lift lock has two giant tubs, each sitting on top of a huge vertical steel piston or ram. The lift lock operates like a teeter-totter. Gravity and hydraulic pressure raise or lower the tubs through 20 metres (65 feet) without using an external power source.
Approaching the lift lock from the opposite direction was slightly unnerving. Entering the tub to descend felt like moving into an infinity pool.
We made it safely back to dry land!
Osprey Update
We last saw Beta on Tuesday this week. He was consuming a large fish on the low platform. He had been absent from the park for longer periods of time over the past few days. We can only assume he has been able to feed himself and no longer needs to come by the park for a free meal. We hope so!
Audubon Photo Awards, Runners-up and Top 100
2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Enjoy the winners, the runners-up, and the top 100 from this year’s contest.
Wandering Bee Flowers
Recent MADJB
Nothing but high energy and good times in this playlist.
