I spent the day snowshoing and birding in Algonquin Park today. It was relatively warm (around 0 degrees) and calm, so it was nice to be out, although it was quiet for birds. Highlights included: BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER - Mizzy Lake Trail, first sighting was a female along the trail at the eastern edge of Wolf Howl Pond, the second was of another (or the same?) female seen along the trail at the southern edge of West Rose Lake. Both birds were quietly tapping and debarking black spruces. PINE GROSBEAK - Mew Lake Campground, coming to a pile of seed that someone had left on the ground where the road from the kiosk comes down to the lake and turns towards the campground, two female-plumaged birds BOREAL CHICKADEE - Spruce Bog Trail, heard calling in the spruces along the trail around the register box. DIRECTIONS: Algonquin Park is located in central Ontario on Highway 60 between Whitney and Huntsville. From the western gate of the park, Mizzy Lake Trail is at km 15.4 and Wolf Howl Pond and West Rose Lake are located along the northeastern part of the trail loop, where it passes along the old railway bed (also accessible by driving about 3.5 km down Arowhon Rd. to the intersection with the railbed and walking in that way), Mew Lake Campground is at km 30.8, and the Spruce Bog Boardwalk is at km 42.5. David Britton Ottawa _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
