Public feeders in or near GTA?

[thouc]

I'm looking for feeders with public viewing, but not public access (hand-feeding has it charms, but tend to keep shier species away). There are these kind of feeders at Pinery Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park and Ojibway in Windsor (and Algonquin too i believe, but I haven't been to the feeders there). Are there any closer to the GTA?

/Thomas

[Greg Schneider]

I'm interested in this too, having recently relocated to the eastern part of the GTA. As far as I'm aware, Hall's Rd in Whitby is great for bird feeding, though I don't think there's an established feeder.

[Ron Luft]

I remember stumbling across a feeder in Morningside Park, Scarberia a few years ago. Right by first parking lot, not sure if still there. High Pk. and Lambton Woods both have feeders in public areas filled by locals though so may not be on going. Riverwood Pk., Mississauga has feeders yearly near the ArtCentre. and a trail with feeder stations in the valley below. Probably a few others...Lynde Shore C.A., Whitby also a short trail with feeders set out.

[Pat Hodgson]

The Ontario Science Centre has feeders that are public viewing (although inside a paid-admission area) but not public access.  However, they are observed from on the escalators, and I've never noticed anything very interesting there.

[thouc]

Thanks for your information.

[cosmo3667]

Yes the Morningside feeder is active and maintained by friends Jerry and Evelyn. The feeder is located in the northwest corner of the first parking lot and is accessable all year long. You can even photograph from your car should weather not co-operate. I was there today and was slower than normal but still saw, Chickadees, Rose and White Breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, A flock of Redpolls stopped by for a few minutes, I saw a regular visitor the Red Bellied Woodpecker but he did not come to the feeder due to person being too close at the time he came by grrrr. I have also seen Blue JAys, American Finches, Mourning Doves, sparrows stop by. Morningside park is located on the west side of Morningside between Kingston Rd and Ellesmere Road.
The feeder contains seeds, suet on the side, peanut butter and today a slab of fat.


Red Bellied Woodpecker  2 by Arvo P, on Flickr

[Martin]

Kortright use to maintain a number of feeders along a trail near the visitor centre, fee to get in, if you can make it through a weekday early or later in the day there is no-one there. If you can make the drive Algonquin visitor centre maintains feeders, aside from birds you also get other mammals like Marten's who visit the feeders daily. In the visitor centre there is a species list posted on recent sightings of bird and mammals, Great Gray Owls are daily sightings now & Bald Eagles along the Hwy #60 corridor, specially in the winter. The species list is also updated on-line....
Martin

[Rotarran]

As mentioned already by Pat Hodgson, there is a feeder at the OSC...and actually via the TVO for kids website ( sheesh this hobby is not just for kids  :oops:    ) they have a bird-cam set up so you can see some of the birds that go there.  I just saw a Red Breasted Nuthatch, some Chickadees and a Cardinal.  

Check it out here:
http://www.tvokids.com/activities/birdcam

[Rotarran]

Here's a pic of a Cardinal...hehe not bad considering I can bird anywhere anytime  

[Rotarran]

Red Winged Blackbird just showed up...maybe I'll post this in the Toronto reports section to get more visibility:

[Rotarran]

There are 3 public feeders in the park behind the Ontario Science Centre maintained by a man named Doug.  Really nice guy.  The feeders are right at the south side of the pond that they face.  

Today alone I saw Juncos, Tree Sparrows, Chickadees, Nuthatches (both kinds), Goldfinches, House Finches and Hairy/Downy Woodpeckers.  And that's just from about 1 hour of being there.  The House Finches were a new species for me.  I'll post pics in the photo-thread.