I haven't been reporting anything this season, mainly since I haven't been birding much. However, a recent trip to Point Pelee got me all excited about birds again, and so this morning I felt like taking on some of the migrating fall warblers on Toronto Island. I took the early (6.35) ferry to Ward Island and was quickly joined by two English birders, Chris from Manchester, and Allister from London. We spent most of the morning (7am-1pm) in the wood lot at the southeastern part of the Island behind the houses near the Ward Island ferry dock. We saw 12 warbler species and a few other nice birds. The birds were mostly concentrated to a dense bushy area with a coniferous tree and some birches, while the rest of the southeastern area was quite empty of birds. Bird activity peaked at 8-9am. We also spent an hour in the early afternoon on Snake Island, but bird activity was low there at the time. Here's a condensed list of observations:
Magnolia w. (many)
Cape May w. (a few)
Blackburnian w. (a few)
Blackpoll w. (5-10)
Bay-breasted w. (1)
Nashville w. (a few)
Northern parula (a few)
Yellow w. (just one!)
Am. redstart (many)
Black and white w. (many)
Wilson's w. (a few)
Canada w. (2)
Scarlet tanager (a few)
Rose breasted grosbeak (a few)
Baltimore oriole (1)
Black-billed cuckoo (1)
and E. wood-pewee, a bunch of unidentified Empidonax flycatchers, Swainson's thrush, Red-eyed vireo, Warbling vireo, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Gray catbird, Sharp-shinned hawk, Turkey vulture, etc.
Higlight of the day: Side by side comparison of fall plumage Blackpoll and Bay-breasted w. Very good practice!
