Algonquin Winter Tracking 2012

Saturday (Day 1)

I started the first day at the gate on Opeongo Road. This is a prime location to view birds up close.

Here is a Grey Jay.

And a couple of Pine Siskins.

Often a Pine Marten will show up. They are remarkably un-shy. and will hang around while you take all the photos you wish.

Here is a nice set of Snowshoe Hare tracks. The hind feet are to the left. Notice how splayed the toes are. They do this when they need to be extra sure that they won't sink into the snow. In this case, the animal was leaping up onto an embankment to the left.

Next stop was the Visitor's Centre. This is usually a good place to view birds as well. But today there weren't many birds.

This is a male Evening Grosbeak.

And the female Evening Grosbeak.

They didn't give me much chance to get good photos of them, as they left shortly after I took these pictures.

After a look at the Spruce Bog trail, also usually a good place to view birds, but not this year, I went for a walk to Bat Lake.

It has been relatively warm today, and so the Snow Fleas were out in full force. To give you an idea of scale here, notice the two pine needles.

This black spruce has had its outer flakes of bark stripped off by a black-backed woodpecker. Unfortunately I didn't actually see the bird.

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