This week featured very cold temperatures (for the date), frequent strong winds and significant snowfall, which combined to reduce the amount of birding done and reported. Snow depth is now about 25 cm (10 inches), and all lakes along Highway 60 except Smoke and Two Rivers are fully ice-covered. The suet feeder is installed past the first boardwalk at Spruce Bog Boardwalk and the two feeders and suet feeder off the Visitor Centre viewing deck are now operating. The Visitor Centre seed attracted an adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW until November 21 (second latest fall date for Algonquin), a COMMON GRACKLE through today, and a RUFFED GROUSE irregularly. An American Marten is not appearing there daily but it caught a shrew near the feeders today. One or more Martens are regular around the Moloks (garbage containers) at Mew Lake Campground.
There was no new information this week about the Boreal Residents. Try Spruce Bog Boardwalk and Opeongo Road, north of the locked winter gate. Winter Finches appear to be still moving through and numbers being reported are low. There were EVENING GROSBEAKS at the Visitor Centre seed every day this week but counts ranged from 45 on November 19 to only one or two on other days. Up to eight PINE GROSBEAKS have been daily at the feeders, and a few have been seen along the highway as well. A single COMMON REDPOLL was at the Visitor Centre yesterday and today. PINE SISKINS came to the feeders most days but with a high count of only seven; and a lone AMERICAN GOLDFINCH was there on November 19. 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. The Visitor Centre is also open with limited services on weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm. Get your park permit and Information Guide (with a map of birding locations mentioned above) at the East Gate, West Gate or Visitor Centre. Locations are also described at: www.algonquinpark.on.ca Ron Tozer, Algonquin Park Naturalist (retired), Dwight, ON. _______________________________________________ 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
