Today Ian Cannell, Jay Peterson and I birded Ward’s Island and we found that migration has picked up since the first f this week.
Some of the birds we found were 4 early Common Mergansers, 1 Osprey overhead, 3 Black-billed Cuckoos, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Belted Kingfisher, Olive-sided, Yellow-bellied, Willow, Least and Great crested Flycatchers, Eastern Wood-Pewees, many Eastern Kingbirds 25+, Carolina and House Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, many Gray Catbirds and Cedar Waxwings, Warbling, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, 17 warbler species including Tennessee, Parula, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green , Blackburnian, Palm, Common Yellowthroat, Bay-breasted and Ovenbird, and many Baltimore Orioles and Scarlet Tanager was seen by Bill Smith and Peter McParland. It should get better over the next few weeks especially with the passing of a cool front and / or northerly winds overnight, still lots to come as most of the warblers were juvenile birds and thrushes and sparrows have not started yet, then there are the raptors and waterfowl to come. DIRECTIONS TO THE TORONTO ISLAND FERRY DOCKS TORONTO ISLANDS - SUMMER SCHEDULE Note:- Fare :- Adults $7.25 - Seniors / Students $4.75 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 go train or bus must pay a fare to use the TTC bus – PS the street cars are now operating again from the Union Subway Stn to Queens Quay. If you are on the subway there is no charge if you choose to board a street car from within the Union Stn subway stop. 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, very few parking lots nearby (all for a fee). One of these parking lots is located just a block north of the ferry docks on Bay St. ============================================================================= NOTE 1: – For those who arrive at the docks early or need the fix there is a Tim Hortons across from the ferry dock entrance just east of the corner of Bay St. and Queens Quay and the Food Court in the building on the northwest corner of Queens Quay and Bay Street is now open and this too has a Tim Horton’s but is closed on the weekends and holidays but the “PATHWAY” to and from Union Stn is open 7 days per week. NOTE 2:- 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/site/page/view/articles.torontoislands NOTE 3:- Despite what the ferry schedules on the internet and the printed one available at the docks say the first ferry to Hanlan’s Point leaves at 8 am and NOT 9 am. 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
