at last out and about

after a busy summer and fall here at the Algonquin Inn i have finally been able to get all of my jobs done for Winter,(well most) which means i can now get out and about.
this is also the time of year when we can start to expect to see the Winter arrivals...and top of my list are raptors, this last week i have been able to obtain some fair shots of

Northern Saw-Whet Owl,



Barred Owl


Eastern Screech-Owl,


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Brant Goose

the Brant Goose is still at the Algonquin Inn on Oxtongue Lake,

at last i was able to get a picture of it on water,the records show that there have been

only three sightings of the Brant in this area over the last 20 years.

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a Brant Goose at Algonquin Inn

not often you get to see one of these, in fact today it was a first for me,it was on our lawn along by the lake at the Algonquin Inn.

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e-mail stay@algonquininn.com

winter bird arrivals

Winter can't be far off as we have had our first winter arrivals at the bird feeders today,
Evening Grosbeaks are back....a great start.the feeders are located at the front of the Algonquin Inn on hwy 60 just before Algonquin Park.
this year we have also set up new feeders in the back yard area as well.
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e-mail stay@algonquininn.com

Algonquin Park bird report

Three noteworthy species this week were:

A first year male Eastern Bluebird at the Visitor Centre (km 43) on October
26, which tied the latest fall date ever for this species here.

A male Northern Cardinal first seen at the Visitor Centre on October 25 and
still present today. Cardinals are very rare in Algonquin Park, occurring
primarily as dispersing birds during the period from late October to late
November. They typically pause briefly at feeders, and then wander onward in
search of suitable breeding habitat. Most probably perish in this quest.

Two Chipping Sparrows at the Two Rivers Picnic Area on October
29, for our second latest date for the species in fall in Algonquin.



Ducks are being seen in larger numbers as migrants move through, such as 90
Blacks and Mallards on Smoke Lake (October 25); and 35 Ring-necked Ducks at
Opeongo Access Point (October 28).

Two Wild Turkeys along the highway just east of Found Lake (km 20) were seen
on several days this week.

The Old Airfield and Two Rivers Marsh produced seven Green-winged Teal and a
Merlin on October 26; and a Rusty Blackbird on October 29.

Small groups of Snow Buntings are regular along the highway margin this
week. There were two Lapland Longspurs calling in flight over the Trailer
Sanitation Site on October 29.

Small numbers of American Goldfinch and Evening Grosbeak were at the Visitor
Centre feeders. The only other winter finch reported was a single Purple
Finch at Lake of Two Rivers on October 29.


Boreal Species Info:

Spruce Grouse: try Spruce Bog Boardwalk and Wolf Howl Pond area on Mizzy
Lake Trail.

Gray Jay: seen at Spruce Bog Boardwalk, Opeongo Road, near Wolf Howl
Pond, and at the Visitor Centre suet feeders.

Boreal Chickadee: three observed near the kettle bog on Spruce Bog Boardwalk
on October 28.

Black-backed Woodpecker: one at Bat Lake on October 24, and one at the Old
Airfield on October 29. Try the Wolf Howl Pond area.



A Pine Marten was at the Visitor Centre suet feeders today, and may continue
to come on an unpredictable schedule.


Good birding. As always, we would appreciate receiving your observations for
our Visitor Centre records.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)
Dwight, Ontario
E-MAIL STAY@ALGONQUININN.COM
WWW.ALGONQUININN.COM

Algonquin Park bird report

The most interesting bird this week was a small juvenile Canada Goose
(probably a runt of the Interior race) at the Opeongo Access Point that I
initially thought was a Cackling Goose. We had doubts after seeing Michael
Runtz's photos of the bird today, and later expert opinions from Ken Abraham
and Ron Pittaway set the record straight.

A Brown Thrasher at Mew Lake Campground on October 17 was notable as this
species is rare here at any time now, and the date tied our second latest
fall record.

Bald Eagles were reported from Canisbay and Lake of Two Rivers.

A Golden Eagle flew over Lake of Two Rivers on October 22.

The Old Airfield produced American Pipits, Rusty Blackbirds and two Eastern
Bluebirds on October 18.

The only winter finch reported was Evening Grosbeak, with small numbers at
the Visitor Centre and elsewhere along Highway 60.

Spruce Grouse: singles on Spruce Bog Boardwalk and Bat Lake Trail (October
17).

Gray Jay: Spruce Bog Boardwalk; Opeongo Road and near Wolf Howl Pond.

Boreal Chickadee: Wolf Howl Pond area on Mizzy Lake Trail.
Black-backed Woodpecker: male and female at Wolf Howl Pond, October 20.

Spruce Grouse: female on old railway west of Wolf Howl Pond on October 20,
and a male at Sims Pit on Arowhon Road a few days earlier.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)

Haliburton Rocks

Gems Beneath Your Boots

Date: Sunday, October 25
Time: 9:30 am - 12:00 noon
Location: Greenmantle Farms, Wilberforce

Join hosts Mark and Sandra Braham for a 4 km hike to discover amazing undisturbed deposits of fluorichterite, orthoclase, tremolite, actinolite, apatite, and quartz


Your cost for this tour is $20/person plus GST and includes guided tour and transporatation from Haliburton or Minden.

To register for this workshop please call Barrie at 705-754-3436 or info@yoursoutdoors.ca

ALGONQUIN PARK BIRD REPORT

Here at the Algonquin Inn we have had today at our feeders Starlings and dark eyed Juncos, as well as the blue jays and red and white nuthatches,and a whole host of various sparrows....

Several "first of the fall" migrants have been observed recently, about on
schedule. Examples (with the average first fall date in brackets) include:

-Horned Grebe: October 10, Lake of Two Rives (October 4)

-Northern Shrike: October 14, Lake Travers (October 14)

-American Tree Sparrow: October 10 (October 8)

-Fox Sparrow: October 10 (October 5)

-Snow Bunting: October 14, Lake Travers (October 15)


Sparrows of note recently include:

-Clay-colored Sparrow: two (photos), October 10, Old Airfield

-Field Sparrow: one, October 7, Old Airfield

-Vesper Sparrow: one, October 8, Opeongo Road

-Le Conte's Sparrow: one or two, October 5 to 11, Old Airfield in long grass
at east end near Lake of Two Rivers; and one at Lake Travers marsh, on
October 14.

-Nelson's Sparrow: one, October 5, Old Airfield Marsh; and two at Lake
Travers marsh, October 8.


Winter Finch news:

-no recent reports of Red Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill, Pine Siskin

-American Goldfinch and Purple Finch: a few still present.

-Evening Grosbeak: 20 at Visitor Centre feeder on October 15.


Boreal Species recent reports:

-Spruce Grouse: two at Spruce Bog Boardwalk (October 14).

-Black-backed Woodpecker: one at Lake Travers (October 14); pair on a
utility pole opposite Leaf Lake Ski Trail, between km 54 and 55 (October
14); and a female near the parking lot at the junction of Opeongo Road and
Cameron Lake logging road (October 14).

-Gray Jay: two at locked gate on Old Railway off Arowhon Road (October 10);
five at Spruce Bog Boardwalk (October 14); and two at the junction of
Opeongo Road and Cameron Lake logging road (October 14).

-Boreal Chickadee: two at West Rose Lake on Mizzy Lake Trail (October 10).


Winter Preview:

-In response to the lack of food here, and as predicted in Ron Pittaway's
winter finch forecast, Blue Jays and Red-breasted Nuthatches are becoming
very scarce.



Good birding. As always, we would appreciate receiving your observations for
our Visitor Centre records.

Ron Tozer
Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired)
Dwight, Ontario

www.algonquininn.com
e-mail stay@algonquininn.com

birding report in algonquin park

Birding Algonquin Park this morning proved to be very productive. There were
two BOREAL CHICKADEES and two GRAY JAYS on the Old Railway near West Rose
Lake on the Mizzy Trail. Also present were AMERICAN PIPIT, PALM +
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and some more common species.

On the eastern end of the Airfield, I located, in a mixed sparrow flock, two
CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS. Also present were SWAMP, SAVANNAH, WHITE-CROWNED,
AMERICAN TREE and CHIPPING SPARROWS, plus D.E JUNCOS.

The two LECONTE'S SPARROWS previously reported by Mike Burrell were
re-located in the alders near Lake of Two Rivers on the east side of the
airfield (Thanks Ron!). There was also a PINE WARBLER amongst numerous
yellow-rumps. Flocks of HORNED LARKS and AMERICAN PIPITS were prominent on
the Airfield.

Photographs -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/3999482606/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/3999479874/

Directions -

Directions:

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.

The Old Airfield is located along the Mew Lake Campground access road, park at
a small parking lot on the left at the beginning of the Old Railway Bike Trail
and walk around the airfield.

The Wolf Howl Pond & West Rose Lake area can be accessed by driving 4.8km up
Arowhon Rd and then turning right onto an abandoned railway and follow 0.6km to
chain gate, park well to the side and walk in 1.5km to Wolf Howl and another
1km to West Rose.


Good Birding,

Lev Frid,

Maple, ON

Raccoons at Algonquin Inn

It's rainy,damp and I'm hungry,i know lets go over to the Algonquin Inn there Gary has set up some great bird feeders just by the restaurant window......... and we can watch all the guests.

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e-mail stay@algonquininn.com