Hello Ontbirders, This year's Spring OFO outing to the Toronto Islands will take place next SATURDAY, May 11. With this particular week we should get some great spring migrants. It was a success last year and should be again. It will be a fun day with good company. We will catch the 7:45 am ferry to Ward's Island. I recommend being there 30 minutes early (if possible) just in case there is a queue for the ticket machines. The ferry ride takes only about 10 minutes. The ferry prices are $7.00 (in coins) for an adult and $4:50 for seniors and students. All fares are return fares. You will need these amounts in CHANGE, to obtain your ticket from a machine,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 reliable place to get change. There is a credit card function on these machines but the fact I send out these reminders in advance are a good indication of their reliability. We will bird around Ward's Island and then gradually make our way over to Hanlan's Point, from there we will take the ferry back to Toronto. We will hope 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 spring schedule will still be in effect). http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/ferry-schedule.htm In addition you can take an opportunity to read Norm's thorough guide to the islands at http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/torontoislands.php Hope to see you next week! Jay Peterson, Trip Leader for this outing. 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. There is a bus, but no longer a streetcar. The entrance to the ferry docks is on the south side of Queen's Quay, just west of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. Parking ($15, I believe) is available 1 block north of the docks on the west side of Bay, at Lakeshore. or, 1 block west of Bay, on the north side of Queens Quay. or, 1 block east of Bay, on the south side of Queen's Quay, opposite the Toronto Star building and adjacent to Captain John's Restaurant. There are washrooms on the islands as well as at the city side at the ferrydocks. There are water fountains throughout, should you want to refill your water bottles. The Kitchen Table store opens at 6am and sells coffee and food. It islocated 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 $3.00and up, 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. Like last year sometimes we have to take lunch at different spots considering there are no restaurants. Bring something you can eat while walking or standing. haha Washrooms are available at Ward's and the fire station and then again on Center Island so that shouldn't be an issue. If you have any questions, you can reach me my cell 416-303-8819 or, of course, via email at pulchritudinousparula@hotmail.com. Should you call me, please wait until at least Wednesday as I am away in Pelee. I can always reply to messages. Jay Peterson, Trip Leader for this outing. > _______________________________________________ > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. > Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca > For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ >

Good morning, For those coming down for the OFO Outing on Saturday, May 11; please note the TTC has some scheduled maintenance and there will be no subway service between the Yonge/Bloor interchange and Union. There will be a shuttle bus. Those using the TTC may choose to come down the Univesity/Spadina line which should be open and get you to Union. For those of us living in Toronto we have been dealing with weekly subway closures for the last year. Hopefully this will help out and not cause anyone to be late for Saturday. My original reminder email is below and the weather is looking like it may rain so please dress accordingly since the Islands provide little in the way of shelter and this outing will go as planned. Good birding, Jay PetersonToronto > From: pulchritudinousparula@hotmail.com > To: birdalert@ontbirds.ca > Date: Sun, 5 May 2013 21:55:45 -0400 > Subject: [Ontbirds] OFO- Toronto Islands outing scheduled for Saturday, May 11 (reminder) > > Hello Ontbirders, > > This year's Spring OFO outing to the Toronto Islands will take place next SATURDAY, May 11. With this particular week we should get some great spring migrants. It was a success last year and should be again. It will be a fun day with good company. We will catch the 7:45 am ferry to Ward's Island. > I recommend being there 30 minutes early (if possible) just in case there is a queue for the ticket machines. The ferry ride takes only about 10 minutes. The ferry prices are $7.00 (in coins) for an adult and $4:50 for seniors and students. All fares are return fares. You will need these amounts in CHANGE, to obtain your ticket from a machine,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 reliable place to get change. There is a credit card function on these machines but the fact I send out these reminders in advance are a good indication of their reliability. We will bird around Ward's Island and then gradually make our way over to Hanlan's Point, from there we will take the ferry back to Toronto. We will hope 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 spring schedule will still be in effect). http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/ferry-schedule.htm > > In addition you can take an opportunity to read Norm's thorough guide to the islands at http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/torontoislands.php Hope to see you next week! > Jay Peterson, Trip Leader for this outing. > > > 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. There is a bus, but no longer a streetcar. The entrance to the ferry docks is on the south side of Queen's Quay, just west of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. Parking ($15, I believe) is available 1 block north of the docks on the west side of Bay, at Lakeshore. or, 1 block west of Bay, on the north side of Queens Quay. or, 1 block east of Bay, on the south side of Queen's Quay, opposite the Toronto Star building and adjacent to Captain John's Restaurant. There are washrooms on the islands as well as at the city side at the ferrydocks. There are water fountains throughout, should you want to refill your water bottles. The Kitchen Table store opens at 6am and sells coffee and food. It islocated 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 $3.00and up, 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. Like last year sometimes we have to take lunch at different spots considering there are no restaurants. Bring something you can eat while walking or standing. haha Washrooms are available at Ward's and the fire station and then again on Center Island so that shouldn't be an issue. If you have any questions, you can reach me my cell 416-303-8819 or, of course, via email at pulchritudinousparula@hotmail.com. Should you call me, please wait until at least Wednesday as I am away in Pelee. I can always reply to messages. > Jay Peterson, Trip Leader for this outing. > > _______________________________________________ > > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. > > Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca > > For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. > Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca > For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ >