Yesterday Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius and I birded Ward’s and Algonquin Islands and though we did not experience a fall out by a long shot our work and patience did produce some nice birds and following is a list of some of them.
10 Sandhill Cranes flying west high up in the sky in the early morning were spotted by Ian and Margaret, 4 Osprey, 18 Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawk, an early Broad-winged Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-bellied and Least Flycatchers, both Nuthatches, Carolina Wren, Veery, Warbling, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, and 19 Warbler species including an early Orange-crowned Warbler, 7 Northern Parulas, Palm Warbler, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrushes,Wilson’s and Canada Warblers. Today I went over to Ward’s Island by myself and it was very, very bird quiet and I only stayed for a couple of hours but I did manage to find 7 Warbler species including a Pine Warbler, a Blackburnian Warbler and 2 Mourning Warblers making it 22 Warbler species for the 2 days. It can only get better as many migrant passerines have still not shown up yet, especially the Thrushes and Sparrows. 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/reportsandarticles/torontoislands.php DIRECTIONS TO THE TORONTO ISLAND FERRY DOCKS Fare :- Adults $7.00 - Seniors / Students $4.50 TORONTO ISLANDS - FALL SCHEDULE 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 there is a street car (#509 Harbourfront) that goes from inside the TTC’s Union Subway Station to Queen’s Quay (no transfer required). For those who choose to head down to the docks on Sunday before the Subway opens 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. 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. One is located just a block north of the ferry docks. 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 including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
