Good morning folks.
Yesterday Aug. 17th Ian Cannell and I ferried across to the Toronto Islands to check on the early migration progress and it turned out to be a good move. On a beautiful day over there we came up with some pretty good birds and noted that migration is starting to pick up some and below are some of the birds we did find.
Osprey, Northern Harrier, Solitary Sandpiper, Caspian Tern,
3 Black-billed Cuckoos, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfishers, lots of Downy Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers, 7 Flycatcher species including Olive-sided, Alder, Willow, Least and Great-crested as well as E. Wood Pewee and 34 Eastern Kingbirds, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos 19 of the latter, many Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 11 Warbler species including Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Black-and-white,
Connecticut and 5 Canadas as well as Common Yellowthroat,
female Summer Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 12 N. Cardinals, and 44 Baltimore Orioles. The bulk of the birds were seen east of Centre Island, probably because of the strong westerly wind that arose in the afternoon and most of the smaller passerines were quite quiet (very little chipping as they foraged in the thick foliage..
A warning for some of you. The boys of summer at the nude beach on Hanlans seem to be getting the wanderlust again :shock: so be aware that you may be confronted with a naked man out "trolling" :roll: anywhere along the dunes on Hanlans.
It can only get better out there (the birding that is) so good birding to all of you.
Directions
TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km)
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 & 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 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 drink around $2.50 ( now $3.00). If you are birding from Wards the soft drink machine beside the fire station sells juice, iced tea, etc. for $1.00.
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.
