Good evening all. Today I went down to the Toronto Islands on a chance that there was a movement overnight and in this I was mildly disappointed.
BUT - I did come up with a few goodies that I will list below but first I must mention that I did have 4,000 plus Blue Jays streaming thru and the Mute Swan numbers have increased to 61 over there. Now to the but part. While walking along doing my thing I observed an adult Northern Goshawk slowly passing over me and shortly after that an adult Merlin zipped by. As I walked thru the Islands I found 7 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, a Carolina Wren, an American Pipit, an Orange-crowned Warbler and lots of both Kinglets but the best of the day was to come near the end of my walk beside and behind the south end of the Island Airport. I decided to walk along the back (west side) of the airport fence and a good move it was. On the fence I counted 26 Eastern Phoebes, 6 Palm Warblers (including 1 Yellow Eastern Subspecies) but the best was still to come both on the fence and in the grasses/bushes along the fence. In this area I had 9 Sparrow species including Fox, Savannah, and Clay-colored Sparrows on the fence and in the grasses and I flushed a Short-eared Owl, BUT the best was as I turned back to retrace my steps. >From the grass I flushed a bird into a bush where I had a great 5 minute look at a juvenile Dickcissel. Directions TORONTO ISLANDS To get to the Toronto Islands from Queen and Yonge Streets on the TTC. If your on the subway southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station, walk south about 1 km to the ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street and Queens Quay and you are there. If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at Bay Street and drive south to Queens Quay, there are lots of parking lots nearby (fee). There is a fee for using the island ferries ($6.00 adult / $3.50 for seniors). and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193 and there are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks. The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday, Saturday 6:35 am, then 7:15 am and the 1st is at 8:00 am on Sunday and the 1st boat to Hanlans is at 8:00 am Monday to Friday and 8:15 am on weekends. You can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line and a map of the Islands is at the entrance gate. If arriving in early am you must obtain your ticket from a machine just inside the gate so be sure to have $1.00 and $2.00 and/or 25 cent coins before you arrive at the docks as there is no place to get change and the machine does not make change. Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Eliminate annoying spam! My mailbox is protected by iHateSpam, the #1-rated spam buster." http://www.ihatespam.net
