Day 1 – Drive to Ontario via PA Turnpike and Rte 81; Kingston area; Amherst Island
Day 2 –Thermal ponds in Kingston; Lake Ontario; Quinte; drive to Algonquin Provincial Park via Rte 62, Rte 127 and Rte 60; Whitney feeders
Day 3 – Algonquin Provincial Park – West Gate, 8Km, Mew Lake, Spruce Bog Trail, Opeongo Road, Visitors Center; Bracebridge area; Wye Marsh/Midland
Day 4 – Wye Marsh; Head south on Rte 93, Rte 400, Rte 401, Rte 24 and Rte 403 to Brantford Airport; Drive to Niagara Falls
Day 5 – Niagara Falls - Adam Beck Overlook, Control Gates, Kings Point Park, along Parkway to Fort Erie; Drive home via Rte 90 east to Syracuse and Rte 81 and the PA Turnpike south Despite a big Arctic chill, at one stage getting down to minus 27 in Algonquin, we had a fairly wind free trip, which at least made it pleasant. Driving from Bracebridge via Brantford to Niagara we came across snow which made driving difficult, but other than that no complaints.

Amherst had 5 Snowy Owls all perched on either a telegraph pole or the tops of trees and several Short-eared Owl which put on an amazing show including one catching a vole behind the car and eating it on a post 20 yards away. We saw the Varied Thrush that was being reported in someone's yard on Quinte. Algonquin was loaded with White-winged Crossbills constantly singing; had 1 Black-backed Woodpecker at its nest hole along the main road; several groups of Gray Jays, some welcoming handouts; a small group of Evening Grosbeaks and some nice mixed flocks of Black-capped Chickadees, Purple Finches, both Nuthatches, goldfinches and White-winged Crossbills but no Boreal Chickadee. We did see 3 Ruffed Grouse, one of which was at the Visitor Center feeder but could not locate a Spruce Grouse. I can tell you that there is a fair bit of activity at minus 27, both avian and human!

A visit to Wye Marsh where they have been involved in re-introducing Trumpeter Swans, gave us a chance to go over a number of ID points as they relate to Tundra’s. We came away just as confused as we were when we showed up! Dipped on a couple of reported Hawk Owls but managed to find 4 Gray Partridge after walking the Brantford airfield and driving the perimeter. We then re-read (always a good idea) the e-mails only to find they were near the entrance to the airport road, just as they said they might be!

The Niagara River was a little short on gulls to say the least - a Glaucous was there though, giving that species more than a 1% representation. All the ducks, including huge numbers of Greater Scaup, Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, Buffleheads and smaller numbers of Canvasbacks were down river - it was just as spectacular as when we were there in early December. A surprise was Red-shouldered Hawk along the Niagara parkway.

Great fun at a leisurely pace and sure beats shoveling 22 inches of snow.

~ Adrian Binns

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES SEEN

BIRDS :

Red-necked Grebe .... 1 on the Niagara River at Fort Erie

Great Blue Heron .... 1 on the Niagara River north of the Peace Bridge

Black Vulture ...3 seen over the turnpike in Montgomery County PA on the return journey

Turkey Vulture...1 seen over the turnpike in Montgomery County PA on the return journey

Canada Goose...2 at Wye Marsh and good numbers along the Niagara Parkway

Tundra Swan... 7 on the Niagara River North of Fort Erie

Trumpeter Swan... About 28 at Wye Marsh. Part of the re-introduction program

Gadwall... 5 at the Control Gates and 1 at the Thermal Ponds in Kingston

American Black Duck... Small numbers

Mallard...Common

Canvasback... 200+ at the Control Gates and smaller numbers along the Niagara River

Redhead... About a dozen at the Control Gates

Greater Scaup...1000’s along the Niagara River

White-winged Scoter... 6 on the Niagara River just North of Fort Erie

Long-tailed Duck... 1 male at Sir Adam Beck Overlook and 1 female on the Niagara River just North of Fort Erie

Bufflehead... Common on the Niagara River

Common Goldeneye... 3 at the Amherst Ferry, a few on Lake Ontario and small numbers of the Niagara River

Hooded Merganser.... About 10 along the Niagara River

Common Merganser... Good numbers along the Niagara River

Red-breasted Merganser.... About 6 at the Amherst Ferry and on Lake Ontario and good numbers on the Niagara River

Bald Eagle... 2 at the US/Canadian border, and 4 along the Niagara River

Northern Harrier... 1 heading south towards Brantford

Cooper’s Hawk... 2 seen on the journey to Ontario along Rte 81 in New York

Red-shouldered Hawk... 1 seen perched in a field while driving along the Niagara River north of Fort Erie

Red-tailed Hawk...Seen every day in small numbers, though the journey home through New York and PA produced about 70 birds

Rough-legged Hawk...2 dark morphs on Amherst Island and 1 dark morph over Rte 81 in southern New York on the return journey

American Kestrel...1 along Rte 403 just east of Brantford

Gray Partridge ... 4 at the entrance road leading to Brantford Airport

Ruffed Grouse... 3 at Algonquin – visitors center, Mew Lake and along the road

Wild Turkey... 6 along Rte 403 just west of Brantford and 1 on Rte 81 in New York

Ring-billed Gull... Several dozen along the Niagara River

Herring Gull... 1 flying over Quinte and about a hundred along the Niagara River

Glaucous Gull...1 2nd winter at the Control Gates at Niagara Falls

Great Black-backed Gull...1 seen flying over Quinte and small numbers on the Niagara River

Rock Dove... Very Common, seen daily

Mourning Dove... Common, seen daily

Great Horned Owl... 1 heard calling at Wye Marsh

Snowy Owl ... 5 on Amherst Island, all perch at the top of trees or poles. 4 immatures and 1 male

Long-eared Owl ... 1 in flight on Amherst Island

Short-eared Owl... About 6 at the eastern end of Amherst Island - all seen very well, hunting, perched, sitting and ripping a meadow vole apart! We could not have asked for better views.

Red-bellied Woodpecker... 2 on Quinte and 1 at Wye Marsh

Downy Woodpecker... Individuals on Quinte, at Algonquin, Wye Marsh and along the Niagara River

Hairy Woodpecker... 2 at Algonquin – 1 at the Visitors Center and 1 at the West Gate

Black-backed Woodpecker... 1 male at its nest hole on the telegraph pole at 8Km in Algonquin

Pileated Woodpecker.... A pair at the West Gate and 1 heard calling along the road in Algonquin

Northern Shrike ... 1 on the way to Algonquin; 1 east of Wye Marsh/Midland and 4 heading south to Brantford

Gray Jay... 8 in Algonquin – 3 at Mew Lake, 2 at the Visitors Center and 3 on the Spruce Bog Trail

Blue Jay... Common, seen daily in small numbers

American Crow ... Very Common, seen daily

Common Raven... Common in Algonquin and a few seen west of Algonquin along Rte 127 and Rte 60

Black-capped Chickadee... Seen daily though most common in Algonquin

Red-breasted Nuthatch ... At least 4 in Algonquin

White-breasted Nuthatch ... 6 in all – 4 in Algonquin and 2 at Wye Marsh

Brown Creeper... 1 at Algonquin at the Visitors Center and 1 along the Niagara Parkway

American Robin... Small numbers in Quinte, Amherst and along the Niagara Parkway

Varied Thrush... 1male with a gammy left leg (though it may have just been the temperatures) at a feeder in Quinte

Northern Mockingbird... 1 at the Adam Beck Overlook along the Niagara River

European Starling... Very Common, seen daily

Cedar Waxwing ... A group of about 60+ on Quinte and several heard at Fort Erie

American Tree Sparrow... The most common sparrow, generally seen at feeders

White-throated Sparrow ... 1 heard calling at Wye Marsh

White-crowned Sparrow... 1 at Wye Marsh

Dark-eyed Junco ... 4 on Quinte at the Varied Thrush yard

Northern Cardinal... 2 on Quinte

Purple Finch... 5 at a feeder in Whitney; 40+ in Algonquin and about 20 at Wye Marsh

House Finch... 2 on Amherst; 3 on Quinte and about 20 in a residential area along the Niagara Parkway

Red Crossbill ... 2 in Algonquin

White-winged Crossbill... Very Common in Algonquin, providing the soundtrack – 1 female seen collecting nesting material (Pine Needles)

American Goldfinch... Small numbers in Algonquin, usually associated with mixed flocks; 6 at Wye Marsh

Evening Grosbeak... About a dozen at the feeders at the Visitors Center at Algonquin

House Sparrow.. Common in residential areas

MAMMALS :

Coyote... 1 on Amherst Island, between the fire hall and the church

White-tailed Deer... 1 in just west of Algonquin

Grey Squirrel inc. Black Squirrel ...Small numbers, though mainly the black race seen

Red Squirrel... Small numbers heard and seen on Quinte and in Algonquin

RODENTS :

Muskrat... 1 crossing a snow covered field south of Wye March on Rte 93

Meadow Vole...1 on Amherst making its last crossing of the road before a Short eared Owl picked it off!