Good evening folks.
Today Ian Cannell and I did a reverse walk on the Toronto Islands ( Hanlans to Wards ) and we came up with a few good to very good birds and following are some of them in no particular order.
10 Ruddy Turnstones, 3 Sanderling ( 2 of them in high breeding plumage ), 34 Semipalmated sandpipers, 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, 23 Dunlin, 1 Black-billed and 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 6 Blackpoll Warblers, 16 Wilson's Warblers, 8 Flycatcher species - 1 Olive-sided, 2 Willow, 1 Alder, 1 Least, 5 Yellow-bellied, 7 Great Crested, 11 eastern Pewees, and 8 Eastern Kingbirds plus some usual suspects that also included 7 Canvasback Ducks, Gnatcatchers, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos and Brown Thrashers and many, many Chimney Swifts were overhead, the most observed this year.
Most of the Warblers and some of the Flycatchers were very quiet but almost all of the Pewees and Great crested Flycatchers were very vocal as usual and at least half of the Wilson's Warblers were singing but half the Blackpolls were female so we needed to be lucky to find them in the windy conditions today. It has now come down to finding stragglers and checking bushes etc. very closely.
Directions:-
TORONTO ISLANDS ( Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km ) - Now on the Spring 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 ( $6.50 adult / $4.00 for seniors and students ( all fares are return ) ) 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 ( before 7:30 ) 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 and a small brochure is now available at the ticket booth and in the schedule containers that also contains a map of the islands.
