Ottawa Area Birding: JC Birding - Our Unexpected Birding Day in Algonquin Park

Tuesday February 24, 2026

This report is written by Barb Chouinard

Jane is far away in north India birding and probably it is not as cold as here, unless she has decided to climb Anapurna or Mt Everest to see what birds are there. We will find out when she gets back.

When we were discussing a location for our next birding outing, we learned that the MacNamara Field Naturalist Club had a great birding and nature outing to Barron Canyon on February 15 with Canada Jays, Black backed Woodpeckers, and a Great Gray Owl along the road. Mike Runtz led the outing.

So we thought the birds would be still around so we decided to go to Barron Canyon road.

However, it was impossible to get the online park permit processed, it did not work. I called the park as I had a number for park admin where the last time, a real voice answered the phone call. It still worked. I was told, that the Barron Canyon Road was CLOSED due to the amount of snow the area got there on the weekend. The Barron Canyon road is long and has to be cleared for the big logging trucks that mostly use it. The Park person also asked me what kind of vehicle I was going to drive in. I wanted to say a logging truck, but said a car or SUV.

I sent a quick message to Bill that we had to cancel Barron Canyon. Bill suggested going to Algonquin Park along the highway 60 corridor. Sounds good, yes, and it was a go.

This morning, at a bone chilling -17 at 7 am, Barbara and Bill and Eleanor and Barbc met up at the Eagleson Park and Ride and headed west on the 417. We knew it was going to be a very chilly day and we were dressed for it with layers of wool and hi-tech clothes and boots, a furry hat (Eleanor), a Toque with a Pileated Woodpecker crest (Bill), a cute tuque (Barbara) and a scarf/neck warmer/headband and hood (Barbc) combination. At the same time the temperature was -26 in Algonquin Park. We laughed as this time, each of us had brought something good for the birds: peanuts in the shell and peanuts out of the shell, sunflower seeds and crushed cashews!

It took a while for the sun to push through the high cloud cover but the the sun changed everything. It was a blue sky, and many trees were dusted by lots of snow. We were west of Renfrew by then. This was the quintessential winter picture of Canada. The 417 was clear and highway 60 was mostly clear with a stretch that clearly still had drifting snow and ice. We came across a car that had just driven into the ditch as a result of the icy conditions. Someone in a truck had stopped to help and the fellow in the ditch looked like he was headed to the office with his brief case and suit jacket. Maybe not today....

On this stretch of highway 60 we saw three Mennonite enclosed carriages (aka enclosed buggy) designed to protect from the elements and for privacy. Each one was pulled by a horse. On the way back we only saw one enclosed buggy heading west out of Renfrew. So that was unusual. We hoped the horses were OK, it was cold to be out there in the elements.

We looked for birds. There were lots of Blue Jays and American Crows. We knew we had to look for open water to see any birds on the water. We drove into Pickwakanagan Golden Lake Reserve as it had a bit of open water at the bridge. We saw two Common Mergansers. We would return here to gas up on our return trip home later today.

At Whitney we saw a Common Goldeneye diving in the rushing water back of the Parkway Motel which we stayed at over the years. Such a pretty river view there.

At the east gate of Algonquin Park we were happy to use the warm restrooms. There were a couple of Black capped Chickadees here but not much else. We entered the park and it was perfect, with the snow covered trees, good cleared pavement and sunshine. It was still cold but we were smiling and happy to be there. At the Logging Museum parking lot, Bill who was driving spotted a Canada Jay at the top of a pine tree. Good spotting Bill!!. Out came the bird seed, peanuts in the shell and peanuts without the shell. The Chickadees were keen for the food and came and ate out of our outstretched hands. Several landed on our headgear. Another Canada Jay showed up and several Blue Jays. There was a feeding frenzy and the Canada Jays were watching where the peanuts were on the ground. The peanuts out of the shell were kind of difficult for the Chickadees to manage but some of them learned quickly. Red breasted Nuthatches also came in for seed and nuts. My hand froze and someone else had a cold foot. It was chilly with only a little wind.

From here we went to Spruce Bog Trail which had a group of photographers in the parking lot. They had not seen much: Blue Jays, Nuthatches and Chickadees. We left some seed on the posts and took the trail in. This area used to be a very reliable to spot Spruce Grouse. But for the last three years or so we have not seen the birds. On the sightings board at the Visitor Center, a Spruce Grouse had been seen but not at Spruce Bog Trail. A Moose was also seen a day or so ago. We met several birders/photographers along this trail and what looked like high school aged kids on a school outing.

The day was moving along. Going up the ramp walk to the Visitor Center we stopped to look at the feeder to the back right. There was activity there but most of the bird feeder was obscured by tree boughs. We saw at least three male Pine Grosbeaks, several females and we thought we saw a White winged Crossbill too. Bill took a photo but it turned out to be a Pine Grosbeak. Inside the Visitor Center there is a stuffed Pine Grosbeak and White winged Crossbill display and the two bird species are very similar in markings but there is a huge difference in size and bill. So it was good to see that example.

We took our lunch bags into the Visitor Center so we could eat our lunches and sit in a warm spot with the sunshine on us and watch out for the birds at the Algonquin Park Bird Feeder just outside and below the viewing deck. It was 11:34 am. This is important to note as one can wave at the visitor cam and note the time and go home and view the same cam and reverse the time to 11:34 and see oneself waving like a weirdo at the birding cam. I have done this and I saved the screen picture as jpeg and printed out the photo. People have asked me how I got the photo: with a bit of work. The lunch spot was so relaxing and warm in the sunshine, it was hard to leave. I could have spent longer there, but we had to keep moving on. They need a couple of couches there so people can have a snooze.

From here we drove west on highway 60 to the Mew Lake Campground which is open for winter camping. We have been fortunate in past years to see Pine Martens by the refuse containers No Pine Martin today. Eleanor had her hands literally full with feeding Chickadees. Bill and Barbc were walking and looking for birds and Barbara stayed warm and cozy in the SUV. What we did see were signs warning us that there were Wolves around. That would have been cool to see. This campground was pretty quiet. We took a quick look driving through the campsite road to see if there were any Pine Martins there but I did not see any occupied campsites. Maybe the wolves have scared the campers away.

From here we headed homeward with some stops including a parking lot that reported birds seen at the Visitor Center sightings board. By now It was the middle of the afternoon and very quiet. It had warmed up so it was more comfortable. We stopped in Barry’s Bay at Timms for coffee and the restrooms. It was a very busy place.

On the drive home we stopped at any open water we saw, to check it out if any ducks etc were around. We went to gas up at Golden Lake and from the bridge and a nearby road stop we saw several Trumpeter Swans on the open water or by the edge on the ice. We saw 7 of them. Further to the left of the swans, Eleanor spotted an adult Bald Eagle. Beautiful in the sunshine. We also saw two flocks of Rock Pigeons all puffed up in the sunshine.

At Eganville we saw a Common Goldeneye from the pedestrian bridge by the dam. The bird was below us and even in the shade, the white on the bird was so bright and the golden eye was so prominent and bright. Several photos were taken.

Driving through the working farming areas east of Eganville we kept an eye out for a Northern Shrike. Nope We did see the one bird fly over us on the highway and we were pretty sure it was a Woodpecker.

At Arnprior, we looked toward the dam for a Peregrine Falcon which is sometimes on the dam structure. Nope: nobody there today. As we headed toward Ottawa I continued to look out for a Red tailed Hawk which frequently is on one or the other side of the 417. Finally one Red tailed Hawk was seen on the right. We all collectively went YAHOO. Just like 5 year olds. Lucky our grandkids did not see us. It was the last bird of the day for us and the species count was We did not have any mammals to note.

For a totally unexpected outing to Algonquin Park, it was a perfect day. Thank you to Bill for driving us all day and thank you for the day’s photos.

Barb Chouinard