GREAT GRAY OWL BOHEMIAN WAXWING "OREGON" JUNCO NORTHERN CARDINAL HOARY REDPOLL
Opeongo Road is closed this week at Costello Creek Picnic Area due to a washout caused by record high flooding. All other roads off Highway 60 in the Park, Shall Lake Road, Basin Road, and Barron Canyon Road are closed due to flood damage. Great Gray Owl reports this week were: -April 19: one (photos) near km 2 -April 20: one (photos) at km 24.5 -April 21: one (photos) at km 37 A Bohemian Waxwing was seen at Lake of Two Rivers Campground on April 20. One was atypically hopping around on the ground among the bird seed at the Visitor Centre on April 22. A female "Oregon" Junco at the Visitor Centre feeders on April 20 and 21 was only the fourth Park record of this subspecies. A female Northern Cardinal feeding on sunflower seed at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on April 19 and 20 was just the second April record of this rarity in Algonquin. Most observations here are in late fall. BOREAL SPECIALTIES: Spruce Grouse: Two males were north of the register box at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on April 20. Black-backed Woodpecker: One was seen at Lake of Two Rivers East Beach on April 20. Gray Jay: Three were reported at Spruce Bog Boardwalk on April 21. Boreal Chickadee: One or two continue to be seen near the suet feeder at Spruce Bog Boardwalk, where they take seed from the hand. WINTER FINCHES: Purple Finch: regular at Visitor Centre seed now. Common Redpoll: About 10 are at the Visitor Centre regularly. Hoary Redpoll: A female was at the Visitor Centre seed on April 20. Pine Siskin: Observed at feeder in Mew Lake Campground on April 19. SPRING ARRIVALS -American Wigeon (April 19): Oxtongue River -Osprey (April 20): km 27 -Broad-winged Hawk (April 20): km 53 -Barn Swallow (April 20): Old Airfield -Ruby-crowned Kinglet (April 19): Spruce Bog Boardwalk -Hermit Thrush (April 21): near Logging Museum -Pine Warbler (April 20): Old Airfield border -Yellow-rumped Warbler (April 19): several locations -Rusty Blackbird (April 21): near Logging Museum Birders reporting records through eBird can now share their lists with the Algonquin Park Bird Records account (APPbirds). We encourage you to do so. Good Birding! Ron Tozer 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). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates. Locations are also described at: www. algonquinpark.on.ca The Visitor Centre and restaurant at km 43 are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, starting April 27. The Visitor Centre has recent bird sightings and information. For more information see Algonquin Park events calendar at: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/involved/calendar/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
