South and North Birding

Well within one week, I birded two extremes of North America.  As far south as one can get in mainland North America, down in Key West, and 3 hours north of Toronto in Algonquin Provincial Park.  I finished my first Florida trip of the year with 66 species for the 3 day excursion, including the La Sagra's Flycatcher, Black Skimmers, Carolina Wren, Common Myna, Monk and Nanday Parakeets, Orange-winged Parrot, a female Painted Bunting, Short-tailed Hawk, Sora and a Great Horned Owl with the cutest pair of baby owls.

Up in Algonquin Park, Sue and I spent Valentine's Day birding in the cold, hoping to find the Great Gray Owl, and a Spruce Grouse, and even though we didn't find either, we did enjoy great looks at Pine Grosbeaks, Gray Jays, which ate peanuts from our hands, and very good looks at the Boreal Chickadee.  Sue also saw a White-winged Crossbill at the Visitor's Centre feeders.  Last year, at nearly the same time those same feeders were busy with Evening Grosbeaks, but this year were busy with the Pine Grosbeaks instead.

All in all a good week.  I have to work the next week at the Car Show before heading back to Florida for 35 consecutive days during baseball Spring Training.