Today Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius and I birded The Islands and on Algonquin Island at the corner of Omaha Ave. and Dacotah Ave. we first heard a Titmouse call the it sang and then Margaret pointed it out to us. A Tufted Titmouse is a fairly rare sighting in the Toronto area and even more so on The Islands (only my 3rd sighting in 33 years of birding over there).
As we walked further along the Islands we spotted another uncommon bird over The Islands, a low soaring Broad-winged Hawk that most likely over nighted near by. After this we motored on and over Snake Island Margaret pointed out a gull overhead that turned out to be an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and shortly after a juvenile Glaucous Gull flew by over the boardwalk and we approached the Hanlan’s ferry dock Margaret and I spotted a 2nd year Lesser Black-backed Gull overhead. Not a bad haul for early morning over there. Eastern Towhees have increased in numbers as have Field Sparrows, Northern Flickers and Hermit Thrushes and we found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher again. DIRECTIONS TO THE TORONTO ISLAND FERRY DOCKS TORONTO ISLANDS - SPRING SCHEDULE Note:- Fare :- Adults $7.00 - Seniors / Students $4.50 If you are on the subway southbound get off at the TTC’s Union Subway 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 TTC’s Union Subway Station on the TTC you may transfer to the #6 or the #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. Go passengers arriving by train or bus must pay a fare to use the TTC bus or streetcar. When running - NOT RUNNING - there is a street car (#509 Harbourfront) that goes from inside the TTC’s Union Subway Station to Queen’s Quay (no transfer if from the subway required). For those who choose to head down to the docks on Sunday before the Subway opens at 9 a.m. you can catch the #97B Yonge St. Blue Night bus (Steeles Ave. To Queens Quay). This bus will let you off right across the street on Bay St. only steps from the ferry docks entrance. For ferry schedules - check - http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/ferry-schedule.htm You may also want to visit the TTC web page http://www.ttc.ca/ for trip planning assistance. 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 very few parking lots nearby (all for a fee). One of these parking lots is located just a block north on of the ferry docks on Bay St. with at least one more (for now) a block or so west of the ferry docks on Queen’s Quay. ============================================================================= NOTE :- If you want to learn more about birding on the Toronto Islands you can access my Toronto Islands Birding And Site Guide on the OFO web site at:- http://www.ofo.ca/webapp/site/page/view/articles.torontoislands You may also want to check out Ron Pittaway’s excellent “Spring Warbler Migration Guide” which is also on the OFO web site. You can find it by clicking on the following:- http://www.ofo.ca/webapp/site/page/view/articles.springwarblers Norm Murr Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
