GREAT GRAY OWL "GREATER" COMMON REDPOLL HOARY REDPOLL The Visitor Centre at km 43 will be open daily from March 9 to 17, 9 am to 5 pm., for March Break.
Guided bird walks at Spruce Bog Boardwalk will occur from 1 to 2:30 pm on March 12 (Tuesday) and on March 15 (Friday) as part of March Break Programming. Locations where Great Gray Owls were reported this week included: -March 1: one in the km 37 to 38 area on Highway 60 -March 4, 5 and 6: one on Highway 60 at the Opeongo Road turn -March 7: one at km 47.5 to km 48 (Brewer Lake) on Highway 60 Two American Crows reported at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on March 1 involved the first spring migrant species in Algonquin Park, and were right on the average arrival date. BOREAL SPECIALTIES: Spruce Grouse: One was reported at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on March 1 and 3. Black-backed Woodpecker: One was noted at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on March 2 and 3. A male was at the junction of Opeongo Road and the Cameron Lake Road, and a female was seen from the Visitor Centre deck on March 7. Video of a female Black-backed Woodpecker flaking off bark in search of wood-boring beetle larvae at Spruce Bog Boardwalk can be seen at: http://frametoframe.ca/black-backed-woodpecker-sighted-algonquin-provincial- park/ Gray Jay: Regular at Spruce Bog Boardwalk and Opeongo Road. The first Gray Jay nest with an egg this year was noted on March 6. Boreal Chickadee: Up to three are being seen regularly around the suet feeder near the trail register book on Spruce Bog Boardwalk. This species was noted near the gate on Opeongo Road on March 2 and 7. One was heard south of Highway 60 opposite Spruce Bog Boardwalk on March 7. WINTER FINCHES: Pine Grosbeak: A few continue to be regular on the highway. Some are around the feeders at the Visitor Centre on most days, including adult males. White-winged Crossbill: The adult male that first appeared in early January was last seen at the Visitor Centre feeders on March 1. Common Redpoll: About 30-40 are at the Visitor Centre feeders regularly. An apparent "Greater" Common Redpoll (rostrata) was there on March 3. Hoary Redpoll: Two or three females of the "Southern" subspecies (exilipes) were reported daily at the Visitor Centre feeders this week. CONDITIONS IN ALGONQUIN Snow depth is now about 48 cm. See: http://tinyurl.com/algonquin-snow To learn more about Winter in Algonquin Park, see: http://tinyurl.com/algonquin-winter BIRDS OF ALGONQUIN PARK The latest updates of my book are available at: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/bap DIRECTIONS: Algonquin Provincial 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. Kilometre markers along Highway 60 in the Park go from the West Gate (km 0) to near the East Gate (km 56). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates. Locations are also described at: www. algonquinpark.on.ca For more information see Algonquin Park events calendar at: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/involved/calendar/ Good Birding! Please let us know what you see. Ron Tozer _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
