Good evening A beautiful day for birding The Islands and today I came up with 86 species with only 13 Waterfowl and 1 Shorebird Species but a great day it was and tomorrow will be better (I can only hope).
I started at Wards Island as usual and by the time I got to Hanlans Point 9 hours later I had found some nice birds despite the noise of the mowers, tree cutters, mulchers, airplanes and a rescue helicopter offshore most of the day. Following are some of the birds that I found and enjoyed. Wood Ducks, 5 Canvasbacks, 2 Surf Scoters, 5 Great Egrets, Cooper's Hawk, Common Loon, Great-crested Flycatchers, many Least Flycatchers, 5 Thrushes including Veery, Swainson's, Hermit and Wood, Thrashers, Carolina, Winter, and House Wrens, 17 Gnatcatchers, 5 Swallow species, Purple Finch, 17 Warbler species including 2 Orange-crowned, Parula, Cape May, Pine, and N. Waterthrush, 9 Sparrow species including Lincoln's, many Chipping and E. Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. and 4 Bobolinks. A nice day to be out and not stuck in an office (or what ever) and I look forward to another day on The Islands again tomorrow for what ever surprises the day holds. DIRECTIONS TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km) 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 & students) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193. There are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line. The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday. The 1st is at 6:35 am and the 2nd boat is at 7:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. The 1st boat to Hanlans Point is 8:00 am and the 2nd boat is at 8:30 am Monday to Friday. The 1st is at 8:15 am and the 2nd boat is at 9:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. 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. (There is a change machine there if you want to chance it). There are coffee shops across from the ferry docks in the building on the northwest corner and they are open early. food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft drink $3.00 plus. For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site. For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site. http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm PS There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and the City side. Another PS If you have access to PDF then I can send an Island map if you contact me in private. Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Eliminate annoying spam! My mailbox is protected by iHateSpam, the #1-rated spam buster." http://www.ihatespam.net
