Tuesday, April 28, 2009

algonquin park birding reports

Subject: Algonquin Park: Sandhill Crane
From: "Bruce Di Labio"
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:43:42 -0400

Hi Ontbirds
Today, April 26th, spent the day birding various sites along Hwy. 60 in
Algonquin Park. The weather conditions changed considerably from yesterday with
a cool low of 2c and occasional rain today. We managed to locate a male Spruce
Grouse along Spruce Bog, 1 Boreal Chickadee at Tea Lake Dam and 1 Black-backed
Woodpecker near Km 8. The highlight was a Sandhill Crane flying over Hwy.60
calling and then landed in a marshy along the highway between Km.23 and Km.24.
Other birds of note included 1 Savannah Sparrow at the Old Airfield and 1
Blue-headed Vireo at Tea Lake Dam.


good birding, Bruce

Directions: Courtesy of Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park is three hours north of Toronto, via Highways
400, 11 and 60. Follow the signs, which start in Toronto on
Highway 400. From Ottawa, take Highway 17 to Renfrew, then
follow Highway 60 to the park. Kilometre markers along Highway
60 in the Park go from the West Gate (km 0) to the East Gate
(km 56). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map
of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates.

The Visitor Centre at km 43 has recent bird sightings and
information. The centre is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
starting this weekend.




Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www.dilabiobirding.ca

Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O. Box 538
Carp, Ontario
K0A 1L0
Office 613-839-4395 Mobile
Subject: OFO Algonquin Park Trip
From: Ron Tozer
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:24:58 -0400

About 75 people in 31 cars participated in a successful Algonquin Park
birding trip
today, the 20th year for this OFO outing. Occasional rain did not
significantly hinder
our efforts. The combined observer list totaled 67 species.

Highlights for many were the male and female Spruce Grouse north of the
register box on
Spruce Bog Boardwalk, the two Boreal Chickadees that Maris Apse spotted for
us at Spruce
Bog Boardwalk parking lot and which provided excellent views, and the male
Black-backed
Woodpecker excavating a nest cavity in the second utility pole west of Leaf
Lake Ski Trail
(km 53.8). A record was set when Gray Jay was not seen all day, for the
first time in the 20
years of these outings. Unfortunately, the decline of the Gray Jay in
Algonquin Park due to
climate warming has now reached the point where it is quite easy to miss
this species in late
April, when the birds are focused on feeding young in the nest.

Other noteworthy sightings included:

American Wigeon: pair on Lake of Two Rivers after heavy rain

Blue-winged Teal: pair on Costello Creek

Green-winged Teal: pair on Sunday Creek at Spruce Bog Boardwalk

Red-necked Grebe: one on Lake of Two Rivers after heavy rain

Merlin: pair at a nest in white pine at east end of West Gate parking lot

Eastern Towhee: singing male along Tea Lake Dam road

I would like to thank all the participants today, and especially Kevin Clute
who assisted ably
with finding the birds.


Ron Tozer
Subject: Algonquin Park Birding Update: 23 April 2009
From: Ron Tozer
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:15:45 -0400

Here are some sightings from the past week:

Spruce Grouse: Male at Spruce Bog Boardwalk north
of the register box.

Black-backed Woodpecker: Male still excavating nest
cavity in second utility pole west of Leaf Lake Ski Trail
entrance on April 17. Not seen later in week. Male at
km 8 on utility pole.

Gray Jay: Opeongo Road, and Spruce Bog Boardwalk.

Boreal Chickadee: try Opeongo Road, and Spruce Bog
Boardwalk.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: first alternate male at Visitor
Centre feeder eating black sunflower seeds on April 20-22;
previous earliest date was May 3.

Pine Siskin: 10+ at Visitor Centre feeders.

Evening Grosbeak: 6 at Visitor Centre feeders all week.



Notes:
First sightings of spring this week included: Bufflehead,
American Bittern, Osprey, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

A female Fisher was at the Visitor Centre suet feeder
on April 23.


Whiskey Rapids Trail, and Mizzy Lake Trail remain
closed as of today.


Please report your Algonquin sightings to me (including
date, number and location) for our park records. Thanks.

Good birding.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)
Dwight, Ontario

1 comment:

  1. Not sue my last comment posted.

    I'm going to be in Algonquin on Monday and Tuesday next week. Any suggestions for hot birding spots this time of year? How about hot spots for moose?
    Thanks
    Bill

    ReplyDelete

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