Summary of reported sightings this week: Spruce Grouse: female in Mew Lake Campground on March 4; male 50 m north of gate (displaying) and female 100 m north of Costello Creek culvert, on Opeongo Road on March 5.
Bald Eagle: third-year bird on moose carcass in Sunday Creek bog off Visitor Centre on March 4. Black-backed Woodpecker: a female along the railway bed at the east end of Lake of Two Rivers on February 28. Gray Jay: 5 on Opeongo Road; 2 at Spruce Bog. First nest under construction noted on February 28 in Dan Strickland's long term study. Five nests found by March 4. American Crow: 1 at Spruce Bog on March 4; first spring migrant species this year! Boreal Chickadee: 3 at the west end of the Airfield on February 28. Pine Grosbeak: 20 at Visitor Centre feeders; 9 at West Gate feeder; 3 at Spruce Bog on March 5. Red Crossbill: 1 on Opeongo Road on March 5. White-winged Crossbill: most observers reporting only 10-12 birds; major decline in numbers since early January, presumably because cones have relatively few seeds now. Common Redpoll: 50+ at Visitor Centre feeders, and elsewhere. Hoary Redpoll: 1 at Visitor Centre feeder on March 4. Pine Siskin: 10+ at Visitor Centre feeders. Evening Grosbeak: a few at Visitor Centre feeders, and Spruce Bog. Notes: Wolves: 1 to 3 have been irregularly visiting the moose carcass in Sunday Creek Bog this week on most days. Pine Marten: 1 at Spruce Bog, and one or two at Visitor Centre feeders. Arowhon Road is closed to public travel this winter as log hauling is underway. 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 Directions: Algonquin 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 the East Gate (km 56). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates. The Visitor Centre at km 43 has recent bird sightings and information. The centre is open on weekends from 10 am to 5 pm. Access to watch the birds during the week is possible by entering at the service entrance and contacting the staff. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
