Photo by Mike Radomski
|
The Buffalo Audubon Society led its 4th Algonquin Park birding trip from January 13th to 15th 2024. Led by Naturalist Tom Kerr and Buffalo Audubon Board President Mike Radomski, 16 travelers braved single-digit temperatures and deep snow to see the special winter birds of Algonquin Park. Home to Winter Finches, Canada Jays, and other Boreal Species, Algonquin is a true winter wonderland!
|
|
|
Finding Canada Jays - One of the most charismatic and beloved birds of Algonquin Park, Canada Jays learned centuries ago that humans are a source of food. Also known as Whisky Jacks or Gray Jays, these opportunistic scavengers and thieves will "steal" food out of your hand or off your picnic table. Our group was lucky to find several waiting for us in the Spruce Bog Boardwalk parking lot, looking for handouts that they would cache for later in the season when they are raising their young. Almost all the Canada Jays in Algonquin Park have color bands to help identify them individually as part of an ongoing population study within the park.
|
|
|
Algonquin Winter Finches - The collective name for the nomadic finches of northern forests, the numbers of Winter Finches that make it far enough south to Algonquin varies from year to year. This has been a very good year for all the species of Winter Finches in Algonquin! We had several sightings of Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, Common Redpolls, and Pine Siskins. There was even a rare cousin of the Common Redpoll, a pale white Hoary Redpoll at the Visitor's Center Feeders. A few of us also got quick looks at White-winged Crossbills and a Pine Grosbeak.
|
|
|
The Adorable Pine Marten - Believe it or not, birds were not the only thing on our list to find! We found this unbelievably cute and cooperative Pine Marten sneaking around the Mew Lake Campground early Sunday Morning. Martens are members of the Weasel family. Pine Martens are especially good climbers, spending most of their time in the trees. Don't be fooled by that sweet face, Pine Martens are skilled predators that will eat anything they can find to survive the winter. We were lucky to see this one, as we don't always see a Pine Marten on this trip.
|
|
|
Traveling with a group is always such a fun time. There was so much to see and do in Algonquin! Each night we ate at a local restaurant in Huntsville, and nice warm break from the cold. Thank you to everyone who came on this trip! We can't run a trip like this without enthusiastic bird and nature lovers like you.
|