Day trip to Algonquin Provincial Park Pt.1
So after a while of…monkeying around with my Jeep, which is now on the road after being re-painted over 4 weeks ago I got back to doing my photography. I decided for this little trip to head up into Algonquin Provincial Park mainly for wildlife shots. I really, really, REALLY wanted moose shots. So after getting my morning coffee and topping up the gas tank I headed up to the park, mainly the Highway 60 corridor.
I drove up and stopped into the West Gate of the park to buy my $15.00 single use day pass. I looked over at the Wildlife Sighting whiteboard to see if moose were spotted out in the park. There were many sightings for moose and fox and beaver for the 17th, but only one for today’s date and it was a bull moose sighting at Two Rivers. So after getting the pass I left and headed to Canoe Lake Portage Store for some lunch (yes I left home a little late in the morning).
After a delicious lunch I drove down the highway keeping my eye on any marshes and swamps for moose, but none were spotted. So I continued on to the Spruce Bog located at km 42.5. I got my gear ready, mainly my camera body with the 100-400mm L lens. I put on my gloves and locked up my Jeep. Immediately I noticed around the parking lot many Gray Jays. The locals have been feeding these birds and there was some people there standing with one hand out and the Jays were flying down and landing on their hands pecking at the feed. I walked by and started to explore the bog walkway.
The scenery was quite nice (sorry no landscape shots) but very quiet for a wonderful sunny day. Seen some snow in some shaded areas of the bog and dense spruce forest. As I was walking, listening to whatever I could hear I noticed a familiar sound. Sounded like some Jays were in the area again and what’d ya know, one was sitting on a spruce branch looking at me. Do you think I could get a shot off of the little guy? Nope. Too fast for me. Whenever they landed on a limb I got the lens up and ready and they would swoop over to another one, like playing cat and mouse with my camera, only less deadly.
I gave up on their shenanigans and walked on. Now I could hear Jays, Chickadees, Chipmunks, and Squirrels. A bit further on the trail a Chipmunk decided to grace me with it’s presence.
This little guy graced me with it's presence, probably looking for a hand-out.
I continued on with no sightings but only hearing far off noises. Once I got back to the parking lot I was alone with my camera, a couple empty cars and the wildlife. The Jays were back, or maybe they never left, but were very interested in wether I had something to give them. As I was taking photographs of the Jays on the parking lot one swooped in towards my lens which startled me a little. Looking through a lens at a bird growing bigger and bigger can be pretty interesting. I instinctively ducked out of the way as the Jay continued on to a tree.
Another jay that was perched on a nearby tree branch.
One of the Jays visiting me in the parking lot. Like this jay, all were tagged.
While playing with the Jays, a Chipmunk was busying himself with being nosey to see if I had anything for him. Of course I didn’t but I did take his portrait. The Chipmunk kinda looked like it was posing for my camera.
One chipmunk that was looking for free hand-outs.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of the story…..
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