it's offical the ice is out !!!!

as of today the last of the ice has left oxtongue lake,
with that good news our resident Loons have showed up,
they spent the day cruising up and down outside the inn.

algonquin bird report

Here are some sightings from the past week:

Spruce Grouse: Male at Spruce Bog Boardwalk north
of the register box; and 2 males in black spruce at north
end of Opeongo Road (east side).

Northern Saw-whet Owl: Singles calling at km 4, km 8
and km 19 on April 15.

Black-backed Woodpecker: Male excavating nest cavity
in second utility pole west of Leaf Lake Ski Trail
entrance on April 11. One at km 8 on the weekend.

Gray Jay: Opeongo Road, and Spruce Bog Boardwalk.

Boreal Chickadee: One in black spruce at north end
of Opeongo Road, and one at Spruce Bog Boardwalk.

Common Redpoll: flocks of 50 to 100 flying north early
in the week. Few to none at Visitor Centre feeder now.

Hoary Redpoll: One at Visitor Centre feeder on April
10 and 11.

Pine Siskin: 30+ at Visitor Centre feeders.

Evening Grosbeak: 20 at Visitor Centre feeders all week.



Notes:
First sightings of spring this week included: Ring-necked
Duck, Common Loon, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern
Harrier, American Kestrel, Ring-billed Gull, Belted Kingfisher,
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow
(April 15; ties earliest ever), Winter Wren, Golden-crowned
Kinglet, Eastern Meadowlark .

Whiskey Rapids Trail, Mizzy Lake Trail, and both
backpacking trails are closed due to flooding.



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

Moose on hwy # 60 just along from Algonquin inn

went into the park this afternoon (looking for loons)
located 7 Moose,the first was just after leaving Algonquin inn and before the
west gate so still in Muskoka, and in Algonquin Park,the other 5 were scattered along the highway.

Algonquin Inn restaurant window today

 

at last the northern flicker came to the feeder outside the restaurant window for all to see whilst eating breakfast...

algonquin park new arrivals

Lot's of new spring arrivals with the great weather this weekend,
two of our guests birders from Ottawa reported an immature bald eagle and a Merlin
on the north end of opeongo road.
we had an American Bitten in the pond in the back yard this week.... a first also a very early arrival as noted by the park.
Ron Tozar has also advised the following in new activity
First of spring records in Algonquin today included Common Loon,
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Winter Wren. New birds yesterday in the Park
included Tree Swallow, Northern Harrier, Ring-necked Duck, and Rough-legged
Hawk.
can't wait to have the Loons back on our lake again......

Algonquin Park Bird report

Here are some sightings from the past week:

Wild Turkey: Same two still in the Two Rivers
Store area this week.

Spruce Grouse: Male at Spruce Bog Boardwalk, about
100 m north of the register box on April 5.

Bald Eagle: An adult over Highway 60 near Centennial
Ridges Road on April 9.

Black-backed Woodpecker: One 200 m north of the
culvert on Opeongo Road on April 5.

Gray Jay: Opeongo Road, and Spruce Bog Boardwalk.

Boreal Chickadee: One on Spruce Bog Boardwalk
just past the first boardwalk on April 5.

Common Redpoll: big flock at the Visitor Centre
feeder this week. Several along highway and Opeongo
Road.

Hoary Redpoll: One at Visitor Centre feeder on April 4.

Pine Siskin: 30+ at Visitor Centre feeders.

Evening Grosbeak: 5+ at Visitor Centre feeders all week.



Notes:
New arrivals this week included: Common Goldeneye,
Northern Flicker.

Arowhon Road and Rock Lake Road are now closed
to public travel due to muddy spring melt conditions.

Whiskey Rapids Trail is closed due to flooding on the
Oxtongue River section.



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

busy day in the area from Algonquin Inn

busy day on all of our feeders,as the last snow storm has left little choice for all the birds in the area,word must be out !! that we have 27 feeders at the Algonquin inn pine siskins,common redpoll,and hoary red poll,American Goldfinches, 50 + Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 Purple finch, all working the niger seed silo's. also around the yard are the regulars - Hairy, Downy Woodpeckers, White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays and Crows,ravens,red wing blackbirds,starlings,American robins,grackle, and two resident mallards have also returned..

www.algonquininn.com

the beginning of the end for the ice

Picture taken today of Oxtongue Lake, it clearly shows the river has entered into the main part of the lake, it will only take a few days more to be totally across then the wind will do it's job and start to break up the main ice.
Oxtongue is the first Lake in the area to freeze up in November, that's when we can safely start to ice skate. Becusae of the river flow, Oxtongue is the first to have full open water.

moose there back !!! in Algonquin Park and Muskoka

today Sunday was a great Sunny day went for a drive in the park,knowing tomorrow will be snow flurries again,on the way back to Algonquin inn looking south on hwy 60 spotted two moose,just up from the mizzy lake trail a cow and a calf...first moose this year .

new bird arrivals today

the above picture is of an American Robin......

the above is a Killdeer. this was new in the back yard of the algonquin inn today along with a Northern Flicker i was not able to get a picture of it but i will post one when i can.