Good evening all. Took another trip down to the Islands again today and it was a beautiful sunny day to be down there. This time I ducked from tree to tree to get the sun out of my eyes and not the rain. Today was a productive day with 61 species seen and following are some of the high lights Mute Swan - 54, Hooded Merganser - 2 juveniles, Great Egret - 1, Downy Woodpecker - 11, 5 Flycatcher species including 4 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and 62 Eastern Kingbirds (there were 26 lined up on a fence at the entrance to the Wildlife Sanctuary), Cedar waxwing - 116, Northern Mockingbird - 3, Carolina Wren - 4, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 10, Purple Martin - only 15, American Goldfinch - 34, 12 warbler species, and Baltimore Oriole - 83. A long and tiring day but I need the exercise after the long hot on the couch summer. Can't wait to head back down there after I rest up. Directions TORONTO ISLANDS 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 and 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 / $3.50 for seniors)(yes they raised the adult price AGAIN) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193 and there are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks. The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday, Saturday 6:35 am, then 7:15 am and the 1st is at 8:00 am on Sunday. You can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line. If arriving before 7 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. Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Eliminate annoying spam! My mailbox is protected by iHateSpam, the #1-rated spam buster." http://www.ihatespam.net