Good Morning The last 3 days migration has been trickling through the Islands as is expected at this time of year but it did hold a few surprises and besides the great weather I had great company with Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius, Alfred Adamo and Gunnar Bessel joining the walk each day. The next 6 weeks down there will get even better with plenty of migrants to come but with maybe an interruption for some if the TTC goes on strike. I'm doomed if they do. The following are some of the highlights of the birds seen over the 3 days.
Common Loons - overhead 15th, 16th and 17th Great Blue Herons Black-crowned night-Herons Great Egrets - overhead 15th, 16th and 17th Trumpeter Swan Blue-winged Teals A. Wigeons Canvasbacks Ring-necked Ducks both Scaup White-winged Scoters all 3 Mergansers Cooper's Hawks Turkey Vulture Wilson's Snipes - 16th and 17th Bonaparte's Gulls - flying past Caspian Terns - overhead 15th, 16th and 17th Common Terns - 17th N. Saw-whet Owl - 17th B. Kingfishers many Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers - 15th and 16th Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers many N. Flickers E. Phoebes Tree, Barn and Rough-winged Swallows White-breasted Nuthatches Brown Creepers Winter Wrens both Kinglets with Ruby-crowned increasing - usually males singing their sweet song Hermit Thrushes N. Mockingbird - 16th Brown Thrashers - 15th, 16th and 17th - most heard singing as well - very nice Bohemian Waxwing - 1 - 15th, 16th and 17th Cedar Waxwings Yellow-rumped Warbler- 15th, 16th and 17th Pine Warbler - 15th Palm Warbler - 16th and 17th Eastern Towhee A. Tree Sparrows Chipping Sparrows - 17th Field Sparrows- 15th, 16th and 17th Vesper Sparrows - 16th and 17th Savannah Sparrows - 15th, 16th and 17th Fox Sparrow- 15th and 16th - some singing many Song Sparrows Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrows many Dark-eyed Juncos Eastern Meadowlarks - 17th Rusty Blackbirds - 17th Purple Finches - 17th House Finches Directions - Spring Schedule starts today. 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 outh 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 ($6.50 adult / $4.00 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). Note the fare increase of 50 cents. 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/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
