Today, despite the dull showery morning I decided to go to The Islands again and below are some of the birds I found on my walk.
Black-crowned night-Heron, Canvasback, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks hunting, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, E. Phoebes, 95 Black-capped Chickadees, 8 White-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Winter Wrens, lots of both Kinglets with the majority still being the Ruby-crowned, 61 Hermit Thrushes, Gray Catbird, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-throated green Warbler, many Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Eastern Towhee, Chipping, Field, Swamp, many Song, White-crowned, and White-throated Sparrows and 9 Fox Sparrows, 33 Pine Siskins and 38 Purple Finches plus many of the usual suspects.
Another good day down there despite the weather and I only saw one other birder there and he was from Manchester, England.
Directions:-
TORONTO ISLANDS -
WINTER SCHEDULE(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 9:00 am - Monday to Friday only.
There are no boats to Centre Island in the Winter
Note:- If you start at Wards Island then be aware that the only ferries from Hanlans Point are at 9:15 am, 11:15 am, 1:15 pm and the last one at 3:45 pm. If you miss this one you will have to walk all the way back to the Wards Island ferry dock. 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 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 are not available during the winter and the water fountains are turned off until at least April.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm