Ontbirders,
I spent a lovely weekend in Algonquin Provincial Park with my family. Although not a birding trip, I managed to see some good birds. On December 30, we found a female AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER on the Spruce Bog Trail. I was looking for a Black-backed Woodpecker for my Winter list, but was surprised to find this bird instead. My wife Lisa first heard the familiar chipping of bark. We followed the sound to a spruce tree with a lot of chipped bark on the snow below. My son James spotted the bird a half-second before I did (he made me post it this way). We had beautiful looks for several minutes. My camera batteries were dead, of course. I ran back to the car to get fresh batteries, but by the time I got back to the bird, it had made its way to the top of the tree where a decent picture was impossible. I did get a few shots, and in one you can barely see the white on its back, but it's a stretch. The bird was on the Spruce Bog Trail between trail markers 9 and 10. I also found a BOREAL CHICKADEE on the same trail at the bridge near trail marker 8. We saw many Pine Grosbeaks and a few Common Redpolls at the Visitor Centre feeder. Several Common Ravens, Blue Jays, Gray Jays, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Black-capped Chickadees were seen on the trails. Two or three White-breasted and one Red-breasted Nuthatches were at the West Gate feeder. On December 31, we saw a grouse sitting high in a deciduous tree at the side of the road, but it flew just as I pulled over to get a better look - so I'm not sure if it was a Spruce Grouse or a Ruffed Grouse. Also, we saw an adult Bald Eagle sitting on a dead tree along Hwy. 60, half way between Dwight and Huntsville. DIRECTIONS: Algonquin Provincial Park can be accessed on Hwy. 60 about 45 km east of Huntsville. The Spruce Bog Trail is 43 km inside the park along Hwy. 60. Gord Payne London, ON Vireo AT sympatico DOT ca ********************************* Dr. R. Gordon Payne Adjunct Clinical Professor Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
