The OFO outing to the Toronto Islands will take place on Saturday September 5th, 2009.
Please note two changes to the original information provided: 1. We will catch the 7:30am ferry to Ward's Island (not 7:15). The ferry ride takes only about 10 minutes. 2. The ferry prices are now $6:50 for an adult and $4:00 for seniors and students. All fares are return fares. You will need these amounts in CHANGE. 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. We will bird around Ward's Island and then gradually wend our way over to Hanlan's Point, from where we will take the ferry back to Toronto. We can expect to see a good cross-section of warblers and other migrants. This could take all day, if the birding is good, but anybody who wishes to leave at any time during the day can take return ferries from Ward's, Centre Island or Hanlan's Point. For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site. (The SUMMER schedule will still be in effect). http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/summerschedule.htm Note that the CNE Air Show starts at 12:30pm, so you could possibly add the US Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor to your life list. Directions: The Toronto Ferry Docks are located at the foot of Bay Street in Toronto. Bay Street is on the East side of Union Station and from there it takes only about 10 minutes to walk south on Bay to the ferry docks. Or, from Union Station take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar south to the Bay and Queen's Quay Stop. Alternatively, take the Bay Bus #6 southbound from the corner of Front and Bay to the Bay and Queen's Quay stop. The entrance to the ferry docks is on the south side of the street, just west of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. Parking (fee) is available 1 block north of the docks on the west side of Bay, at Lakeshore. or, 1 block west on Queens Quay between Bay and York Sts, or, 1 block east of Bay, on Queen's Quay, opposite the Toronto Star building and adjacent to Captain Johns restaurant. There are washrooms on the islands as well as at the city side at the ferry docks. There are water fountains throughout if you want to refill your water bottles. The Kitchen Table store opens at 6am and sells coffee and food. It is located across from the ferry docks, on the north side of Queen's Quay, about 100 metres east of Bay. Food and beverages on The Islands are very expensive, e.g. soft drinks $3.00 to $3.75 plus, so I recommend that you bring beverages and food adequate for the time that you expect to stay on the Islands. After a couple of hours birding Ward's Island, we will take a short break at the picnic tables beside the Fire Station. (Note the soft drink machine there is currently "Out of Order"). Washrooms are available here. If you have any questions, you can reach me at home: 905-660-4533, or on my cell phone: 416-722-0433, or, of course, via email at [email protected] Thanks to Norm Murr for much of the information in this email. Ian Cannell, Trip Leader for this outing. . _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
