The Best of
The
Raven
New release
s the backcountry from
overnight parking. If
y (no walking, toboggans
nd of the ski trails, or in
amping after
ts may be purchased
. - 4:00 p.m.)
ffices given the detour
you may purchase your
during business hours,
ark Information Office
s will be held at the Park
event of an emergency, or
event that details need to
n. To assist Park Wardens,
indicating your name and
n at the time of booking).
Permits purchased by
very rewarding recreational
st ice travel, and encourage
weather, snow depth,
hazards are difficult to detect.
s. Up-to-date weather
ffices, or from the 24-hour
400 MHz on Weatheradio
FM radios, listeners can tune
FM100.1 in the Mew Lake
and your progress. As sensible
of matches, spare socks and
ski tip, electrical tape, a small
indings, and emergency food
with
in a small day pack along
your
he safest tactic is to follow
d attention to equipment.
to
and you must be prepared
in the Park it is wise to tell
nd expected return date.
$12.95
The Best of The Raven Volume 2
Algonquin Park’s Natural & Human History Newsletter
VOLUME 2 • 1993 - 2000
This is the second book in this series which includes
80 articles reprinted from the popular and informative
Algonquin Provincial Park’s Natural and Human History
Newletter, The Raven, from 1993 to 2000.
Join us for Algonquin Provincial Park’s 4th Annual
Winter in the Wild Festival
February 14, 2015 • Family Day Weekend
All activities during the festival are free with the purchase
of a valid Park Permit with the exception of food.
Join us this
Family Day Weekend
Shop online
algonquinpark.on.ca
by Dan Strickland / Illustrated by Christine Kerrigan
for
Available at the Algonquin Visitor Centre Bookstore, and Park Access Point offices.
Snowshoeing
Birds Hit the Road
Many birds, especially the winter finches,
are attracted to the sand and salt spread out
on the highway for winter road maintenance.
Salt is a rare treat and an essential mineral
for wildlife, so they will take it when they
can get it. Birds consume sand and gravel to
help them with digestion. Birds have no teeth
PHOTO: PETER FERGUSON
Algonquin in Winteris very different from the
in winter
The mood of Algonquin
frosty
most Park visitors. On clear,
of
summer scene familiar to
there are breathtaking views
days after a fresh snowfall,
conifers. At night the
frozen lakes ringed by snow-covered
in the
trees crack like rifle shots
sky is bright with stars and
frozen stillness of the woods.
Although most birds have
migrated to the south and Join us Family Day Weekend for
many animals are hiber- Winter in the Wild!
the
still
is
nating, winter
best time of year to see
signs of wildlife because
do
those animals which
remain leave a fascinating
in
record of their activities
the snow. Winter visitors
of
regularly see the tracks
deer, moose, marten, fisher,
Centre
Wolf exhibit at the Visitor
otter, fox, and wolves – and
occasionally the animals
as
Moose
themselves. Birds such
and crossChickadee,
Boreal
Jay,
Gray
for
the Common Raven,
and there is always a chance
bills are frequently seen
or Spruce Grouse.
Black-backed Woodpeckers that can be visited easily in
The only part of Algonquin
60 which travels 56 kilometres
winter is along Highway
highway is
The
corner.
all
across the Park’s southwestern
the Ministry of Transportation
ploughed and sanded by
winter.
to
second Monday in October)
From Thanksgiving (the
and lodging are availmid-May, gasoline, food/groceries,
to the
– in Whitney and beyond
able only outside the Park
west.
Dwight and beyond to the
east, and in Oxtongue Lake,
(skis, snowshoes, camping
Winter equipment rentals
only from outfitters located
equipment, etc.) are available
OfAlgonquin Park Information
outside the Park. Call the
details.
further
fice or check online for
Skating at Mew Lake Campground
Information
photo of ticket
in dash of car
Algonquin
Visitor Centre
A stop at the Algonquin Visitor Centre (at
km 43) is a “must.” It
is open year-round, and
offers an outstanding
bookstore operated by Algonquin Visitor Centre
The Friends of Algonquin Park as well as the
offers snacks and light meals.
Sunday Creek Café which
on the Park’s natural and
Tour the outstanding exhibits
Park
presentation sums up the
cultural history. A theatre
can
a viewing deck where you
story and takes you out to
of wild Algonquin landadmire a breathtaking panoramabird feeders.
scape and check out the winter November to late April,
early
Open on weekends from
for holiday periods, and
the operating dates are extended Information Guide and
Algonquin
the
in
viewed
be
may
need to be updated!
online. This message will
is available, during
Algonquin Park publications) Centre; by calling
Information (including all
and West Gates and the Visitor
business hours, at the East
or by checking online.
the Park Information Office;
(705) 633-5572
(East Gate)
Algonquin Park Information to March - Friday, Saturday, & Sunday only)
(613) 637-2780
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (November
1-888-310-1122
Park Administration
(OPP)
Ontario Provincial Police
A park permit is required
Detailed map of Highway
and it must be visibly
60 and ski trails inside
www.OntarioParks.com
Ambulance Barry’s Bay
Huntsville
To Report Natural
Resources Violations
displayed
Address
(613) 756-3090
(705) 789-9694
1-877-TIPS-MNR
1-877-847-7667
Algonquin Provincial Park
P.O. Box 219, Whitney, ON
K0J 2M0
at all times
on the dash of your vehicle
• www.algonquinpark.on.ca
and do not always break up their food into
little pieces, so they use their “mechanical
stomach” or gizzard, which grinds up the
food with the help of the grit consumed on
the road. If you see birds on the road, honk
your car horn to alert them – it just might
save their lives!
Tracking
Winter Bird Walks
Vol. 55, No. 5 • December 1, 2014
R
The
aven
A Natural and Cultural History Digest
Six Days in March
by David LeGros
Photography Tips
Winter in Algonquin is
unforgettable and Winter in the Wild
highlights the best of what the season
has to offer the whole family.
Tours of the
Collections Room
Ice Skating
Cross-country Skiing
Winter Camping Demos
Winter in Algonquin
WINTER GUIDE
ALGONQUIN
feeders attract Blue Jays,
ches, woodpeckers and
these Evening Grosbeaks.
giving to late April
served basis. The
#1 to 76 are ploughed,
ploughed as time and
ly) at the self-serve
maps (found in the
are available at the East
e campground itself.
mitted, however, winter
summer campsites nor
recommend that you
upply of standing dead
Only
Roasting Marshmallows
and more...
As you may have already discovered, Algonquin Park
can be a fascinating place to visit in the winter. You may not
be aware, however, of the many different recreational and
educational opportunities that are available to you. For more
detailed information on winter activities in Algonquin, pick up
a copy of the new Algonquin Winter Guide, available at the
East and West Gates, and the Visitor Centre.
Events are subject to change.
Please check online for a current
list of events: algonquinpark.on.ca
Make memories in
Algonquin this Family
Day weekend.
www.algonquinpark.on.ca
The Visitor Centre offers FREE WiFi internet access
…and while there, don’t forget to check out The Friends of Algonquin Park
Bookstore and Nature Shop, or the Sunday Creek Café.
algonquinpark.on.ca
MNR# 4575 3K P.R. 12 01 14
ISSN 0701-6972 (print) ISSN 1927-8624 (online) © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014
Finding a carcass in late winter can mean the difference between life and death for hungry scavengers.
Algonquin’s winters are pretty tough. For
nearly 5 months, snow and frigid temperatures
blanket the landscape. The deep snow, cold, and
lack of food make many animals very vulnerable
during this season. Some animals, like the Black
Bear hibernate to avoid the shortage of food.
Others, like many of Algonquin’s breeding birds,
migrate south. Animals that feed on plants often
resort to eating bark and twigs, as do Moose,
White-tailed Deer and Snowshoe Hare. For the
meat-eaters, getting around can also be tough,
and prey is often scarce. For most wildlife,
finding enough food just to stay alive is often
a struggle, and some don’t make it to spring.
Although we know these struggles happen, we
rarely get to witness them. However, last winter
we did have the chance to see a procession of
wildlife attend a carcass.
During the late winter of 2014, a Whitetailed Deer was hit by a car. We took this
opportunity to place the deer carcass in the
Sunday Creek Bog about 200 m in front of the
Visitor Centre, so we might observe wildlife
feeding on it. The carcass was placed in the bog
on March 11 and what followed was an intense
six days of scavengers feeding until there was
nothing left. We monitored the carcass from
the Visitor Centre using a spotting scope and
kept detailed records of the wildlife observed.
We also installed an automated trail camera
mounted on a nearby tree. This unblinking peck and pull at strands of flesh.
In the days that followed, many ravens and
observer could capture images day and night
foxes appeared at the carcass to feed. However,
without worry of scaring off wildlife.
The deer carcass was placed in the bog in other curious visitors arrived but did not sample
early afternoon and it did not take long before the coveted carrion. A Wild Turkey investigated
the Common Ravens located
the carcass briefly before
it by sight. Within moments
continuing
through
the
of the first raven landing on
snowy bog. A Blue Jay also
it, there were three ravens
had a quick look, perhaps
busily probing and pecking
on its way to the sunflower
at the deer. The carcass was
seed and cut corn at the
frozen solid, and the thick
Visitor Centre bird feeder.
hair and skin prevented them
Strangely, no Gray Jays
from ripping any flesh from
appeared to have found the
the body. By dusk, another
carcass. Gray Jays will often
scavenger had arrived, a A curious Wild Turkey watches two
remove bits of fat and flesh,
Red Fox. Under the cover of Common Ravens feed.
taken between feedings by
darkness, the fox carefully inspected the area, the ravens and the foxes, but they will also grab
sniffing the snow to confirm that it was the tufts of hair in late winter to line their nests.
first mammalian scavenger to arrive. After Gray Jays are among the earliest nesters in
making sure it was alone, it soon began Algonquin, often incubating eggs while snow is
chewing on the hind quarters of the deer. falling and night-time temperatures are -20°C.
Within an hour, another fox had arrived, Other scavengers, like the American Marten,
but maintained a cautious distance and only did not make appearances at the carcass either.
watched as the first fox continued to feed. By Marten populations were thought to be low in
sunrise, the foxes had left and shortly after, the winter of 2014, part of natural fluctuation in
the ravens returned. This time, they were numbers. The deep snow and severe cold was
rewarded. The holes the fox had chewed into also suspected to have kept them in dense forest
the hind quarters of the deer allowed them to cover – for an animal with short legs, deep and
fluffy snow makes travel very difficult.
too late for many birds of prey. For many
Perhaps the most appreciated visitor to the years, Bald Eagles were an uncommon sight
carcass was a Bald Eagle, which arrived in in Algonquin, but in recent decades they have
late afternoon of the third day. This mature made a come-back, and now it is not unusual
eagle likely circled overhead,
to see Bald Eagles here
and then landed on the deer,
throughout the year.
A heavy snow began
scaring off the ravens. Scenes
to fall on the deer in the
like this one played out in
afternoon of the fourth day
the early parts of the 20th
and into the night, but this
century in Algonquin, where
did not deter the foxes as
Park Rangers would lay out
they continued to wrestle
carcasses and baits to attract
small pieces of meat from
wolves. They didn’t want to
the deer. By dawn of the
get a better look or snap some
fifth day, a different animal
photos; they were trying
showed up. An Eastern Wolf
to increase White-tailed
had begun to nose around,
Deer numbers by killing off
and cautiously crept up to
predators—the meat was Something has startled this Red Fox
the deer. It did not sit down
laced with strychnine. The off the deer carcass, perhaps the
to gorge as one might think it
poison did kill many wolves, Wild Turkeys in the background.
but it also poisoned many other scavengers, would, but it began pulling the carcass away. It
including eagles. Later on, in the 1950’s, the would often stop, ears upright, looking toward
pesticide DDT was being used extensively the woods at the edge of the bog, tail between
in agriculture to control noxious insects. The its legs—a submissive posture. Perhaps this was
pesticide worked very well and killed countless not its territory—and by rights, not its meal. It
insects, but it contaminated many food webs— did begin to eat, but while doing so, dragged
with birds of prey being near the top, poisoning the deer out of view of the camera, seriously
adults, chicks and eggs alike. Ultimately, the limiting the capture of photos. By the sixth
pesticide was banned in the 1970s, but it was day, the carcass had been dragged far from the
camera location. Using binoculars, we were
While reflecting on how completely the
able to detect that not much remained of the scavengers had consumed the deer and how
carcass. The decision was made to retrieve the important finding carrion is for their survival
camera and inspect the scene.
I was interrupted by a distant wail. There
The bog was covered in animal tracks; was a pack of wolves on the far edge of the
fox and wolf tracks radiating to the centre bog in the thick spruce forest. At least two
where the carcass was,
animals howled, and I knew it
like the spokes of a wheel.
was time to head back to the
Trails
crisscrossed
the
Visitor Centre and not disturb
deep snow with ease while
them further.
I fumbled in snowshoes.
Once the pictures had been
Upon arriving at the site,
uploaded, it became apparent
I was pleased to see the
that the carcass was even
camera still there. Where the
busier than we thought. A total
deer had been deposited was
of 5263 photos were taken
completely trampled with
over the course of 6 days, and
tracks and even a deep hole The Eastern Wolf’s initial visit to
most of them have wildlife
the carcass.
dug into the snow.
visible in the shot. Ravens
Clumps of deer hair, a bit of blood and some and foxes were the most common visitors.
scent markers were seen on the snow. The wolf Scavengers attended the carcass around the
or more likely, wolves, had dragged the carcass clock, even in the dark and bitter cold.
Winter is hard on most wildlife, and some
over 100 m to the edge of Sunday Creek. Large
paw prints led the way to what remained of don’t see the next spring. The death of one
the deer. A few pieces of cracked leg bone, no animal does however provide food for many
bigger than a thumb were found on the snow, other hungry animals, which, without carrion
still bright pink inside. All that was left of the might starve. We can think of an animal that
deer was just the guts containing plant material has died in the cold as a gift for others rather
in various stages of digestion, destined to than a tragedy. As we think of the winter ahead,
become droppings. This was not consumed maybe with dismay, we can be reminded that
by scavengers; however the membrane of the winter often brings us together – and carrion
brings wildlife together.
intestine had been neatly removed and eaten.
Bald Eagles will consume carrion if they can get it.
Not even the snow and cold will keep scavengers from a potential meal.
Tracks leave a record of the comings and goings of wildlife, like the Eastern Wolf.