Good morning
Yesterday, Sept. 4th Ian Cannell, Jay Peterson and I all had the same idea when checking the winds, etc. and we all met at the ferry docks for a very pleasant and birdy walk through the Islands. WE did experience a mini fallout at both Wards and Hanlans that kept us scrambling to see and count the Warblers, etc. On the walk between Wards Island and Hanlans Point we did find a couple of small pockets of birds with a few more on Snake Island.
Following are the high lights from our outing:- Our first Gadwall of the season, Sharp-shinned Hawks flying west and hunting the Islands, Cooper's Hawk, Common Loon, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, 13 Northern Flickers, 9 E. Wood Pewees, 5 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, 15 Least Flycatchers, 9 E. Phoebes, Philadelphia, 18 Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, Veery, Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrushes, 11 Gray Catbirds, 14 Red-breasted Nuthatches, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 19 Warbler species including N. Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, 36 Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated green, Blackburnian, Pine, Palm, 46 Blackpoll, 27 Bay-breasted, A. Redstart, Black-and-white, N. Waterthrush, 9 Wilson's, and Canada Warbler, 11 White-throated Sparrows, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet tanager and E. Meadowlark.
Again another great day to be out there and the best of company as usual. We were yet again surprised
at the lack of fellow birders over there. I know we are not the only retired birders in the GTA and on The Islands you can spend the day or just a few hours as there are 3 ferry sites that you can leave from if you feel you do not or can not complete the whole walk. Some pretty good migration days ahead down there as we have discovered over the years.
Directions:-
TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km) - Now on the Fall Schedule.
To get to the Toronto Islands from Queen and Yonge Streets on the TTC. If your on the subway
southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station, walk south about 1 km to the ferry docks at the
foot of Bay Street at Queens Quay and you are there. If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway
or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at Bay Street and drive south to Queens Quay, there are lots of
parking lots nearby (fee).
There is a fee for using the island ferries ($6.00 adult / $3.50 for seniors and students) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193. There are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line.
The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 6:35 am and the 2nd boat is at 7:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
The 1st boat to Hanlans Point is 8:00 am and the 2nd boat is at 8:30 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 8:15 am and the 2nd boat is at 9:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
If arriving in early am you must obtain your ticket from a machine just inside the gate so be sure to have $1.00 and $2.00 and/or 25 cent coins before you arrive at the docks as there is no place to get change and the machine does not make change. (There is a change machine (up to a $10 bill) there if you want to chance it).
There are coffee shops across from the ferry docks in the building on the northwest corner and they are open early. food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft drinks $3.00. If you are birding from Wards the soft drink machine beside the fire station sells juice, iced tea, etc. for $1.00.and $1.25.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm PS
There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and the City side.
