Algonquin Park Birding report

Major melting of snow this week resulted in rivers rising to flood level.
However, there is still relatively little open water. Ice-free areas in
lakes where rivers and creeks enter are only slowly expanding in size.

An Owl Survey during the evening of April 12 from the West Gate to
km 18 along Highway 60 produced single Barred Owls at the West
Gate and km 2, but no Northern Saw-whet Owls. This was not entirely
unexpected since small mammal populations are low following very
poor tree seed crops last year.


Boreal species reported this week included:

Spruce Grouse: Two were seen on Spruce Bog Boardwalk on
April 9.

Black-backed Woodpecker: A male was on a utility pole
at km 8 on Highway 60 on April 8.

Boreal Chickadee: One was reported at Spruce
Bog Boardwalk on April 9.

New arrivals (with the average date in brackets) are shown below.
Most are later than normal, as expected in this late spring.

April 8: Rough-legged Hawk (March 25)
April 9: Winter Wren (April 7)
April 10: Belted Kingfisher (April 9)
April 10: Northern Flicker (April 8)
April 10: Winter Wren (April 7)
April 10: Golden-crowned Kinglet (April 3)
April 11: Green-winged Teal (April 12)
April 11: Eastern Phoebe (April 6)
April 11: Purple Finch (April 4)
April 13: Common Goldeneye (April 7)
April 13: Pied-billed Grebe (April 13)
April 14: Northern Pintail (Rare)
April 14: Ring-necked Duck (April 8)
April 14: Common Loon (April 14)
April 14: Belted Kingfisher (April 9)


Moose are being seen regularly now at wet areas along Highway60.

Please report your sightings for our records.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)
Dwight, ON

EASTERN PHOEBE

Today a big surprise the first of the flycatchers of spring to arrive here at the Inn an Eastern Phoebe, as i understand it they are the first arrive and the last to leave in the Fall.



WWW. ALGONQUININN.COM
E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

MINK IN ALGONQUIN PARK

On the way back to the Inn through Algonquin Park i saw an Otter jump into a small area of open water at the side of the road , so i jumped out camera at the ready the open water was in in fact a culvert. there was a lot ice in there so the Otter was swimming under ice from one side of the highway to the other, i sat there for an hour trying to out wait him, no luck... however i was reward when a Martin walked out from under the ice on it's snow path into the open and we where both surprised yet managed to get a few quick frames off.


x



WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM
E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

THERE BACK !!!!

THERE BACK !!!! guests of the Inn have been reporting seeing Moose along highway 60 through Algonquin Park. so Anna not having seen a Moose this season set off for the park , and took the picture above to share and provide a clue as to where she saw it.....a young Bull Moose,

great start to the new season.

WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM

E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

pine martin and boreal chickadees

Had the opportunity to spend this weekend in the Algonquin Park as the Boreal Chickadees continue to feed at the suet feeder on the Spruce Bog Trail, and I wanted to see if I could improve on the photos from my last visit, also hoping to catch a moose out in the open in the snow. On the way in I was able to meet up with Ethan Meleg for the day. Ethan was also after the Boreal Chickadee. As an avid bird photographer he had yet to obtain a quality picture of the bird in twenty years of trying. Well, that all changed as of today.
Once we got to the Spruce Bog and set up, in a fairly short period of time we were visited by a lot of bird activity with four Boreal Chickadees, Red and White-breasted Nut Hatches, as well as Blue Jays and Chickadees. To top it all off we were visited by a pine Martin that has taken up residence close to the bird feeder taking advantage of the free bird suet and bird seed.

Boreal Chickadee


pine martin



Red-Breasted Nuthatch


WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM
E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

Boreal Chickadee

It has been way to long time since my last post on this blog....but things have been very quiet for birding this Winter in Algonquin Park, in fact from what i hear all over southern Ontario.

However for landscape photogrhhpy its a Winter wonderland with picture postcard images everywhere,

One of my Nemesis Birds has been the Boreal Chickadee, being small and dark, with a tendancy to hang back in the shadows of trees i have never been able to get a good clean shot. This Winter the Park staff have placed a suet feeder on the Spruce bog trail which is opposite the park visitors center (handy for warm drinks and food on weekends) located only hundred feet into the trail from the parking lot just before the sign book post on the left high in a tree.

The suet feeder this year has attracted a single Boreal Chickadee along with some Blue Jays and Black capped Chickadees, i have to wait about two hours to finally get the shot that i wanted . happy at last.....

The feeders at Algonquin Inn have been very disappointing this winter so far, but everyday we have a about a dozen wild Turkeys that make the rounds, hopefully we will see the return of the Evening Grosbeaks again soon.

e-mail stay@algonquininn.com

www.algonquininn.com

GUEST PHOTO AT THE ALGONQUIN INN

This last week Rick Dobson stayed with use for a couple of days at the Algonquin Inn , he stayed with us as his base as he was here for wildlife photography in Algonquin Park.

Whilst here Rick took advantage of our bird feeders on the grounds and of our blind that we have set up for guests and visitors to use.

Rick has generously sent me some of his pictures that he had taken at the Inn feeders,

many thanks Rick for sharing

xxx


xxx


xxx


xxx


xxx


xxx


xxx


xxx

xxx

WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM
E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

BLACK BEAR PAYS A VISIT

Just had to post this one,yesterday i had to run into town Huntsville doing some local chores,
when as i past the local Tim Hortons coffee shop i could see three large black blobs high in the trees behind the store,as i pulled in to get a better view , there was a large female and two cubs high up in the tree taking a nap....after spending the night in the dumpsters eating their fill of old donuts...

one of the two cubs

mum taking a midday nap............

WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM

E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM

Algonquin Park bird report

Three new Birding reports out today for Algonquin Park today, also of note i did spot yesterday a Red Tailed Hawk and a Snow Bunting first one this year just along from the West Gate.

Snow Bunting

A single Bohemian Waxwing was seen at the top of a tree at the West Gate on
Saturday (October 16) by Brete Griffin and his group. Two Bohemian Waxwings
were observed by Doug and Ron Tozer on Sunday (October 17) between posts 14
and 15 on the Mew Lake extension of the Track and Tower Trail. These two
waxwings were feeding on winterberry holly (Ilex) berries, along with
several robins. Some of these berries are present along the Two Rivers
Campground (now closed) side of the Airfield Marsh and could be a good place
to look for other Bohemian Waxwings.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)

My wife and I spent the day in Algonquin Park, birding at the old airfield and along Mizzy Lake Trail. Activity at the airfield was low, but we did see a single male EVENING GROSBEAK near the parking area. Mizzy Lake Trail had a little more to offer, with about five GRAY JAYS near the gate off of Arowhon Road. Just south of West Rose Lake we had excellent views of a male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, and on the return leg near Wolf Hollow Pond was a nearly tame male PURPLE FINCH which almost ate from our hands, and did actually land on my jacket for a few seconds. As we left, at the gate were two BOREAL CHICKADEES within a group of several BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES. A single full-grown bull MOOSE also crossed the Mizzy Lake Trail, sporting a large rack of antlers.
pat.

Yesterday, October 17th, spent the day birding various sites along Hwy. 60 in Algonquin Park. Overall, somewhat quiet, but a few interesting birds. At Wolf Howl Pond area along Mizzy Lake Trail we had 2 Bohemian Waxwing fly over calling and 1 female Black-backed Woodpecker near West Rose Lake. Finches were scarce, we had 3 Evening Grosbeak and 7 Purple Finch at the Visitor Centre along with distant views of 2 Moose. At the Spruce Bog Boardwalk, 1 Boreal Chickadee was heard calling. Gray Jays were easy to find at Spruce Bog Boardwalk parking lot, Opeongo Lake Road and Wolf Howl Pond.
Good Birding, Bruce
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www.dilabiobirding.ca
http://www.brucedilabio.blogspot.com

OTTERS AT ALGONQUIN INN

We just had an e-mail from James and Lea who stayed with us over the Thanksgiving weekend,
they sent us the following e-mail with photo's.

Hi Gary.

Lea and I had a great Thanksgiving weekend at Algonquin Inn. Perfect weather the whole time. On Monday morning I was down by the dock photographing the morning fog. A group of otters swam towards me then climbed up onto the floating dock to get a look at me. They put on a good show. I managed some photos - I thought I'd share them with you.

A great end to the long weekend.
Tried out your blind, too, on Saturday. Great setup! Got some good blue jay shots.
Hopefully we'll be up again next Thanksgiving.
All the best
James

thank you James..............great photo thanks for sharing....these guys make you smile

every time :-)))))))

The docks are just in front of our waterfront rooms,

WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM

E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM