Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: GBLangley on March 16, 2011, 06:18:27 AM
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Hi everyone
I'm in Toronto again on Monday 21st March. I'll probably go out to the islands unless I get any better advice from any of you!
I still haven't seen Saw-whet or Hawk Owls (ever) or redpolls in North America so they would be good birds to start with. I realise owls are easily disturbed and so they rarely appear on bird lines. If anyone wants to help I can assure you I'm very well behaved! and I don't take photos.
I'm tempted by reports of Sam Smith but i don't know where it is. Any directions would be great.
I will of course post reports on this page if I see anything.
Thanks
Graham Langley UK based birder grahamlangley@yahoo.co.uk
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Colonel Samuel Smith Park is at the west end of the city. If you take Kipling Avenue all the way south towards the lake, it'll turn into Col. Samuel Smith Park Dr. after Lakeshore Blvd. and just keep going. Past the Humber College campus there'll be some parking. There have been two Northern Shrikes there this winter, and at least one of them has been seen there fairly regularly (and still there as of early this week). The waterfowl off the coast are worth a look as well.
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I think your plan of trying the Toronto Islands is a good one. Spring is arriving fast, so I wouldn't count on winter specialties sticking around long. The islands pack a good assortment of habitats into a pretty small space. You should be able to find a variety of diving and dabbling waterfowl, early migrant passerines and possibly some lingering winter species as well. Plus, if you're staying at a downtown hotel, it's probably not a far walk to the ferry docks. It's worth checking the Ontbirds Archives (http://ontbirds.ca/pipermail/birdalert_ontbirds.ca/) and looking for Norm Murr's posts. He often makes extensive & detailed reports on his visits to the islands.
I was at Sam Smith Park late this afternoon and did not see either of the shrikes. Odds of finding them are diminishing daily: they nest north of James Bay.
If you want to try for owls, Tommy Thompson Park (a.k.a. the Leslie Street Spit) is probably your best bet.
BB
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Wards Island is lovely
and dont forget time permitting
to check into the Rectory Cafe
it is v. nice
Enjoy!
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I don't know if they're still around, with the spring migration already begun, but I've had some luck with Common Redpolls at Ashbridges Bay Park. When I was last there in February, they were in a stand of connifers right beside the parking lot off of Lakeshore Blvd. on the Western end of the park, and across the road from Woodbine Park. There are some homemade feeders up in the trees, and there were quite a few birds hanging around there, including a flock of American Tree Sparrows, Cardinals, and Dark-eyed Juncos, in addition to the Common Redpolls.
As for owls, I've certainly heard them in the woods along the Scarborough Bluffs at night, so your idea of looking along the waterfront is probably a good place to start. The Leslie Street Spit and Tomy Thompson Park, which Brian's already suggested, is known as a bit of an owl hotspot for Toronto birders, but it's only open to the public on weekends. If you're here for the whole week though, that would be a good place to try.
Best of Luck!