Birded Ward’s and Algonquin Islands only today with several birders including Bill Smith and Jay Peterson and though there were not a large number of each species we did come up with a good variety among those 88 species we did find including 21 warbler species, 5 thrush species including 2 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, 4 vireo species, 6 flycatcher species, Mockingbird, Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, and Carolina Wren, etc.
Among the warblers were 2 Mourning, Wilson’s, N. Waterthrushes, N. Parulas, Orange-crowned and Cape May. We also found a late Winter Wren and were told of another one. ------------------------------------------------------ The Yellow-breasted Chat was found by Bill Smith as some of us were busy watching a Veery so some of us missed the bird. It was seen just east of the Algonquin Island bridge behind the Canoe Club Bldg (old Fire Station). --------------------------------------------------------- All in all a great day to be out there with real spring weather instead of the crap we have been getting this month. DIRECTIONS TO THE TORONTO ISLAND FERRY DOCKS TORONTO ISLANDS - SPRING SCHEDULE ---- NOTE – Summer Schedule starts on May 24th 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. Note:- This bus stop is temporarily moved to the northwest side of Front St. 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 there is a street car (#509 Harbourfront) that goes from inside the TTC’s Union Subway Station to Queen’s Quay (no transfer from the subway required). Note:- This streetcar is not running for the foreseeable future due to construction on Queens Quay. 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/
