Toronto spring: if limited to public transport, how much can I expect bird-wise? (3 Viewers)

[earlytorise]

I have plans to visit some folks in Toronto in the second half of May.

I don't know how to drive, so if I want to go to the famous migration spots like Point Pelee I would have to make very special arrangements. (Plus I'm a bit hesitant about paying USD200 per night for a hotel there but that's another story.)

If I stick to the Greater Toronto Area, in terms of number of migrant species how much am I missing?

(By the way, I didn't and won't have much of a chance to visit the USA, so my American ticks I would have to get from Canada.)

 

[jmepler]

Have you looked at Birding Pal? They have a fairly large presence in Ontario.

 

[D Halas]

While Point Pelee is guaranteed to get multiple rarities in May, Toronto and the surrounding suburbs always get a few as well, and sometimes they're good enough that people at Point Pelee will drive the three-plus hours back to Toronto to see them (for example, the provincial-first Hepatic Tanager found in Oakville, one of Toronto's western suburbs, in May 2022.) As for regularly-occurring migrants, there are very few species that are regular at Point Pelee that aren't also regular in Toronto, and none that are regular in Point Pelee and impossible in Toronto.

 

[earlytorise]

While Point Pelee is guaranteed to get multiple rarities in May, Toronto and the surrounding suburbs always get a few as well, and sometimes they're good enough that people at Point Pelee will drive the three-plus hours back to Toronto to see them (for example, the provincial-first Hepatic Tanager found in Oakville, one of Toronto's western suburbs, in May 2022.) As for regularly-occurring migrants, there are very few species that are regular at Point Pelee that aren't also regular in Toronto, and none that are regular in Point Pelee and impossible in Toronto.

Alas I got some disappointing news: I might have to move the trip to the second half of June. Not sure yet, but in case it is so:

Could you recommend some birding/wildlife experiences, while I am based in Toronto for 2 weeks, that are either convenient or won't break the bank? (I mean that I'm aware of very nice package tours to the Canadian Arctic, to look at bears and whales etc, but that's too expensive and time-consuming.)

Anything that maximises my species list will be nice. Breeding warblers, or dragonflies, or trees, anything really.

Thanks!