About 30 cm of new snow arrived over the last two days. Rock Lake Road and Arowhon Road are not maintained by park staff during winter and will be gated at Highway 60 until spring.
-Ruffed Grouse: one or two are regular along the Visitor Centre driveway and getting seed below the feeders. -Spruce Grouse: look on Spruce Bog Boardwalk, particularly near the visitor register box. -American Three-toed Woodpecker: one was seen and heard along Opeongo Road just north of the Costello Creek Picnic Ground on December 3. This species occurs here very irregularly in winter when it irrupts southward from the breeding range. -Black-backed Woodpecker: try Opeongo Road -Gray Jay: regular along Opeongo Road from the locked gate northward, and on Spruce Bog Boardwalk. -Boreal Chickadee: try Opeongo Road. -Pine Grosbeak: still very scarce. Observed this week on Mizzy Lake Trail and Opeongo Road. -Purple Finch: regular in low numbers, including at the Visitor Centre. -Red Crossbill: numbers remain low. Look for them on the highway and at the Visitor Centre. -White-winged Crossbill: regular but in low numbers. -Pine Siskin: seen regularly, including some larger flocks. -American Goldfinch: also seen regularly, including some large flocks. -Evening Grosbeak: up to 25 are being seen at the Visitor Centre feeders, especially in the morning. -American Marten: at least one has been irregularly coming to eat sunflower seeds below the Visitor Centre feeders. Good birding. Ron Tozer Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired) Dwight, ON 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). The Visitor Centre exhibits, bookstore and restaurant at km 43 are open on weekends from 9 am to 5 pm in winter. The Visitor Centre is also open on weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm with limited services, including self-serve hot and cold beverages plus snacks available in the restaurant. Get your park permit and Information Guide (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the East Gate or the West Gate. Locations are also described at: www.algonquinpark.on.ca _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
