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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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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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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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.




x

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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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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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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)