Good evening. Today I headed down to the Toronto Islands again and to my delight I found Ian Cannell and Margaret Liubavicius already there, 2 more people enjoying the leisure that retirement gives us.
Passerine migration seemed to have flattened out for the time being with most of the Warblers being in the Wards Island ferry dock area, but there were some birds through out The Islands. We came up with 68 species. Though Passerines have slowed Raptors are picking up and we spotted 7 raptor Species totalling 78 Raptors despite unfavourable winds. Following are some of the high lights of our walk on such a beautiful day - Horned Grebe, Canvasback, Long-tailed Duck, 16 N. Harriers, 7 Cooper's Hawks, 43 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 4 A. Kestrels and 4 Merlins, Belted Kingfishers, Warbling, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, 22 Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 20 Warbler species including 2 late Yellow Warblers, Chestnut-sided, Nashville, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Palm, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Black-and-white, 1 Connecticut, Mourning, Wilson's, Canada, Lincoln's Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager and lots of Cedar Waxwings. Not a typical early September day down there but with favourable weather large numbers of Sparrows, Kinglets, Thrushes and more warblers can be expected in the next 2 or 3 weeks. 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 at 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. http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON Sils mordent, mords les --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Eliminate annoying spam! My mailbox is protected by iHateSpam, the #1-rated spam buster." http://www.ihatespam.net
