Good morning Yesterday Ian Cannell and I birded the Toronto Islands to see if anything new was passing through and we had some good birds on a beautiful, not having to work, day to be out there. As we walked along from Wards to Hanlans we encountered 4 to 5 pockets of Warblers with some nice and some surprising birds in between.
Following are some of the 78 species that we did find. Pied-billed Grebe, Hooded Mergansers, Osprey, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, N. Harrier, a beautiful male Peregrine Falcon, a late Spotted Sandpiper, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, R-T Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 29 N. Flickers, 21 E. Phoebes, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, 3500 Blue jays flying west, 11 Red-breasted and 5 White-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Carolina and Winter Wrens, Veerys and Gray-cheeked Thrushes, N. Mockingbird, A. Pipit, 17 Warbler species including Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Palm, Bay-breasted and Blackpoll and N. Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanagers, White-crowned, White-throated, Chipping and Lincoln's Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Rose-breasted grosbeak and Rusty Blackbird. A good days birding and with more to come. Directions:- TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km) - Now on the Fall Schedule. 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 and 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 (up to a $10 bill) 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 drinks $3.00. If you are birding from Wards the soft drink machine beside the fire station sells juice, iced tea, etc. for $1.00.and $1.25. 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. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
