Good evening. Today Ian Cannell and I took a chance and headed over to the Islands despite the fog and another good move it was. With the fog continuing over there as we left this evening at 7 pm most of the birds that we saw may still be there tomorrow morning, maybe.
We found the White-eyed Vireo this morning ( SORRY PETER :>)) ) as we headed west from the Wards Island housing area. The bird was in thick bushes about 35 yards east of the Senior Citizens house or about 100 yards past the last house at the start of the boardwalk or 25 feet in front of the allotment gardens at the seniors' bldg. This bird spent most of it's time feeding on the front edges of the bushes. Some of the other 67 bird species we found as we walked along on a very nice, windless day were - Pied-billed Grebes, Trumpeter Swan, Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks, Merlin, 15 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 21 N. Flickers, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, 5 late Least Flycatchers, 22 E. Phoebes, both Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, 2 Carolina Wrens, 31 Winter Wrens, many Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Veerys, 18 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, Swainson's, Hermit and Wood Thrushes, Brown Thrashers, 30 A. Pipits, White-eyed, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, 8 Warbler species including Tennessee, Black-throated Blue and Wilson's as well as an Ovenbird, 7 Sparrow species including E. Towhees, Lincoln's and Swamp Sparrows, and 111 White-crowned and 196 White-throated Sparrows. Another good day down there on the under birded islands. 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. Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON "Sils mordent, mords les" _______________________________________________ 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
