Good evening folks.
Today Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius and I spent most of the day just
birding Hanlans Point.We figured that with the rainy and windy weather the past
couple of days that many birds would decide to move last night and this seems
to be what happened as the number of Sparrows and Phoebes seemed to have
drastically increased since we were there on Thursday.
The best bird by a long shot was a Western Kingbird at the south end of the
airfield fence at 11:45am. Ian and I were standing talking about how nice a day
it had been ( bird and weather wise ) up to this time when a bird flew in from
behind us and landed on the tip of a Lilac bush right in front of us. The bird
of course was the Western Kingbird. About 10 minutes later Margaret rejoined us
and we refound the bird as it seemed to have disapperaed right after we found
it the first time.
This bird was a life Ontario / Canada bird for both Margaret and Ian and a
life Island bird for me. We could have headed home right then and been happy
but we continued on birding Hanlans and following are some of the birds we
found.
Great Blue Herons, Canvasbacks, Greater Scaup, N. Harrier, lots of
Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Merlins, Peregrine
Falcon, Y-B Sapsuckers, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, 71 E. Phoebes,
Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Winter Wrens, both
Kinglets in good numbers, 36 Hermit Thrushes, migrating Robins, Gray Catbirds,
American Pipits overhead, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, 2 Orange-crowned
Warblers ( same on Thursday ), Nashville Warblers, Magnolia Warbler, many
Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-throated Blue
Warbler, 2 very nice male Pine Warblers, 42 Palm Warblers, Chipping, Field,
Fox, Lincoln's, and Swamp Sparrows, 350 plus White-throated and 100 plus
White-crowned Sparrows, many Dark-eyed Juncos, 125 plus A. Goldfinch migrating
past, several hundred migrating Red-winged Blackbirds high overhead, 4 Rusty
Blackbirds and 4 Eastern Meadowlarks.
Thursday we had about the same mix but with far different totals for some
species plus we also found the following birds :- American Bittern, Wood Ducks,
Gadwall, Turkey Vultures, Belted Kingfishers, Swainson's Thrushes, and Eastern
Towhee.
Directions:-
TORONTO ISLANDS ( Ward's Island to Hanlan's Point - without side trips is 5 km
)
Now on the Fall Schedule.
NOTE:- THE WINTER SCHEDULE STARTS ON TUESDAY - NO CENTRE ISLAND FERRY AND
REDUCED TRIPS TO HANLANS POINT.
If you are on the subway southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station,
walk south on Bay Street ( on the east side of the station ) for about 1 km to
the ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street at Queen's Quay and you are there.
The entrance to the ferry docks ( well signed ) is on the west side of the
Westin Harbour Castle Hotel.
To get to the Toronto Islands from the Union GO Station on the TTC.
You may transfer to either the # 6 or #6A Bay St. TTC bus on Bay Street just
outside of the east entrance to the GO Station. They both go down Bay Street to
Queen's Quay. When running there is a street car ( #509 Harbourfront ) that
goes from the Union Station to Queen's Quay ( no transfer required ).
For those that choose to head down to the docks on Sunday before the Subway
opens you can catch the #320 Yonge St. Blue Night bus. This bus will let you
off right across the street from the ferry docks entrance. This bus is the
night time 97B Yonge St. bus.
If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at
Bay Street and drive south to Queen's Quay, there are lots of parking lots
nearby (fee). These parking lots are located just a block north of the ferry
docks with more a block east of the ferry docks.
There is a fee for using the island ferries ( $6.50 adult / $4.00 for seniors
and students ( all fares are return ) and to find out the sailing times you can
phone (416) 392-8193 or check the following web site
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/fallschedule.htm
There are washrooms and drinking fountains on the islands as well as the city
side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks.
The 1st boat to Ward's 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 and Holidays.
( Note:- On Sundays the first ferry to Ward's is at 7:45 am )
The 1st boat to Hanlan's 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 ( before 7:30 ) 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. But - There is a change machine ($5, $10
and $20 dollar bills) there if you want to chance it.
There is coffee shop ( Treat's Café ) across from the ferry docks in the
building on the northwest corner ( opens before 6:30 am on week days but only
opens at 9 am on the Saturdays that it doesn't rain ). You may also purchase
do-nuts, etc. here.
Also just a little east on Queen's Quay ( less than a block ) there is the
"Kitchen Table" and they are open at 6 am - 7 days per week. Besides coffee you
may also buy food and beverages at the Kitchen Table if you forget a lunch.
Food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft
drinks e.g. $3.20 plus and Hot Dogs $4.25. There are washrooms and water
fountains through out and a washrooms is also located at the fire station.
PS - There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and
the City side and a small brochure is now available at the ticket booth and in
the schedule containers that also contains a map of the islands.
_______________________________________________
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