Thursday, December 10, 2009

OTTERS IN ALGONQUIN PARK

The other day i was in the park checking the bird feeders over at the visitors center, after i left heading back to Algonquin Inn on highway 60 going East only 5mins into the drive i spotted an Otter in the middle of the lake.
the Lake was frozen except for a small area then more Otters appeared in the end there were 5 in total, the best way to describe the scene it's like a bucket of live eels....
they were climbing over each other a belly sliding on the ice just enjoying the sun out on the ice.




a crowd at the water hole


here you can see the Otters tracks it runs and then slides across the ice.


off to eat the prize on it's own




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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

PINE MARTINS AND GRAY JAYS

Had the chance to drive into the Algonquin Park today, as the conditions were great, and as the forecast for the next two days is snow with a major Storm passing through.
the hwy # 60 was quite so i dropped into the visitor center as they have bird feeders set up out back in the winter months.
it was quite there also but three gray jays turned up with a pine martin , you have to wait to get the shot of him off the suet feeders as he spends most his time with his face planted in the feeder


Gray Jay take off in the snow


veryfreindly birds will eat out of your hand so always take along some rasins.




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Saturday, December 5, 2009

FIRST SNOWFALL OF THE WINTER

Last night we had our first snowfall of the Winter.
the Birds so far have been few and far between, now the snow it is starting to
drive the birds to the feeders,
Evening Grosbeaks 4 apperard today,hope to see them everyday from here on in.



a view of Algonquin Inn from across Oxtongue Lake




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Thursday, December 3, 2009

BEAVERS ALGONQUIN INN

Took a drive into Algonquin Park today to check-out the bird feeders at the visitor center,plus hoping to see any other activities along the way as things have been so quite lately.unseasonal warm days and still no SNOW....

at the feeders 3 Gray jays,and i counted 18 Goldfinches,NO Waxwings or Grosbeaks i had hope for, Winter feeder action has still to start.

So i stopped by on of the Beaver lodges everything was quite they appear to be down now for the Winter, Beavers do not hibernate, but store sticks and logs in a pile in their ponds, eating the underbark. Some of the pile is generally above water and accumulates snow in the winter. This insulation of snow often keeps the water from freezing in and around the food pile, providing a location where beavers can breathe when outside their lodge.
last week i was able to get some pictures of them just before they closed up..they sure look like they are ready for Winter fat and happy.
i was told that if the Beaver adds a lot of fresh new wood to the lodge then expect a lot of deep snow,well this year they have added very little new workings.




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