[Ontbirds]Algonquin Park : April 28, 29

[dave milsom]

I birded Algonquin the past 2 days with Spanish birder, Dani Valverde. We had some good finds despite birding almost all day yesterday during  heavy snowfall.
     On Opeongo Road we found 2 Boreal Chickadees at the forest adjacent to the spruce bog. There at 9 am today was a male Spruce Grouse alongside the road. Also looking for handouts were 2 Gray Jays. A Merlin was viewed near its nest-site west of the bridge.
     A male Black-backed Woodpecker worked on a tree near the register in the Spruce Bog yesterday. Today at Km 53.6 a male excavated a hole in a telephone pole alongside the highway.      Ducks seen at various ponds included Black, Wood Duck, Mallard, Bufflehead, Ring-necked, Hooded and Common Merganser.
     Raptors: Merlin, Broad-winged, Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned hawks, Turkey Vultures.     Other sightings were Great Blue Heron, Raven, Crow, Robin, Solitary Sandpiper, Ruffed Grouse, C Loon, Can. Goose, Grackle, Red-winged & Rusty blackbirds, Cowbird, Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Kingfisher, Blue Jay, Tree Swallow, RB Gull, Creeper, both Kinglets, YR Warbler, Winter Wren, BC Chickadee, both Nuthatches, Hermit Thrush, Starling, Junco, Blue-headed Vireo.
     Sparrows: American Tree, White-throated, Song, Savannah, Swamp, Chipping, Field.      At 5 pm today in the forest at Hardwood Hill just east of Arrowhon Road, we had a bonanza of woodpeckers including 2 Pileated, 2 Flickers, 2 Sapsuckers, 2 Downy and a Hairy.
Dave Milsom
milsomdave at hotmail.com
Check website for birding tours at http://ca.geocities.com/milsomdave1@rogers.com