Winter in the Wild Festival 2017 will take place on Saturday (February 18). It will have many great activities to choose from, including two Guided Winter Bird Walks on Spruce Bog Boardwalk (at km 42.5) from 10 am to 11:30 am and 2:30 to 4 pm. Your Park use permit entitles you to free participation in festival events. For complete Winter in the Wild information see: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/winter_in_the_wild.php
Probably the same Northern Goshawk was perched near the suet feeder on Spruce Bog Boardwalk on the 12th. The Northern Shrike at the Visitor Centre was mobbed by Black-capped Chickadees in late afternoon on the 11th and seen flying around the parking lot on the 15th. BOREAL SPECIALTIES Spruce Grouse: Still no reports this week. Maybe one will turn up on Saturday's guided walks at Spruce Bog. Black-backed Woodpecker: One was observed at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on three days. Other locations this week included: the Old Railway Bike Trail between the Old Airfield and Head Creek Marsh; the rail bed near Galeairy Lake; and near the recycling containers at Mew Lake Campground. Gray Jay: They were still regular at Spruce Bog Boardwalk, Opeongo Road near the locked gate and at the Logging Museum. The first nest-building activity can be expected soon. Boreal Chickadee: One was regular at Spruce Bog Boardwalk, coming to perch on hands that provided food. There were two at the suet feeder along the trail on the 11th, one of which was giving the "trilling call" almost constantly. WINTER FINCHES Pine Grosbeak: A female was photographed coming for bird seed at the entrance of Spruce Bog Boardwalk on the 12th and 13th. Red Crossbill: Reports involved one to six birds at various locations along Highway 60. White-winged Crossbill: This crossbill continues to be the more numerous species, although most sightings were of 15 or fewer. But on the 10th, there were 75 in total along the Old Railway Bike Trail between the Old Airfield and Head Creek Marsh, and another 45 between the West Gate and km 8 on the highway. Common Redpoll: Reports again this week were of very small numbers. Pine Siskin: The increase in numbers noted last week appeared to continue. Of the 90 tallied along Highway 60 on the 12th, nine had been killed by vehicles. Slow down and blow your horn when approaching birds on the highway. American Goldfinch: Large numbers continue to come to the Visitor Centre feeders daily, peaking at 150 this week. Evening Grosbeak: The Visitor Centre feeders are still hosting as many as 130 of these spectacular finches. Lesser numbers come for seed provided by people at at Spruce Bog Boardwalk and near the locked gate on Opeongo Road. Birders reporting records through eBird are encouraged to share their lists with the Algonquin Park Bird Records account (APPbirds). 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 facilities, 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 birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
