Public Event: Pride Month Birding Walk: Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto
Saturday, June 27, 8 am - 12 pm
Leaders: May Matchim (they/she), John Nishikawa (he/him)
Trip Details: Meet 8:00 a.m. at the front gate of Tommy Thompson Park (a.k.a. the Leslie Street Spit). We are returning with another exciting Pride Month collaboration between Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) and the Toronto Ornithological Club (TOC). On the Pride Birding Walk, we will search for the breeding birds of the park with a full morning of walking. The walk runs until 12:00 p.m.
Who Should Come: While this walk is a celebration of the LGBTQ2S+ community, all are welcome. You do not need to be a member of OFO or TOC. Creating a respectful, welcoming and accessible environment is our first priority. We encourage newer birders and first-timers to come along; all skill levels are welcome.
Registration: Please go to the OFO events page to register. Registration is limited to 30 participants.
Type of Trip: Walking roads and trails to find the breeding birds of Tommy Thompson Park.
Location and Directions: Tommy Thompson Park (43°39'08.2"N 79°19'22.5"W) is located at the south end of Leslie Street in east end Toronto. With access from Unwin Avenue just west of Leslie Street, the park's parking lot at the entrance is free. There is also street parking along the Unwin Avenue roadside.
Public Transportation: The TTC's southbound #83 Jones bus will take you to the intersection of Commissioners Street and Leslie Street, which is a 500-metre walk from the park entrance. The #83 bus leaves from the Donlands subway station on the Danforth Line.
Duration: 8:00 a.m.— 12:00 p.m. Rest stops, if needed
Approximate distance: Five kilometres of walking, depending on the birding conditions.
Terrain: Forest patches, brush, open lands, constructed ponds and the edges of Lake Ontario.
Gradient: Mostly flat, with small hills in wooded areas and the possibility of some flooding on trails; close-toed shoes or hiking boots recommended.
Trail Surfaces: Mostly paved, with some dirt forest trails.
Accessibility: We may leave the paved path to explore wooded trails; the walk can be modified on the day of in accordance with any mobility needs. A drinking water station is located near our meeting point.
Biting Insects: European Red Ants and mosquitoes are common at this time of the year. This year visitors have encountered ticks, usually Dog Ticks, when walking off path. Dog Ticks do not carry Lyme Disease but the presence of Black-legged Ticks (also known as Deer Ticks), that do carry Lyme Disease cannot be ruled out.
Washrooms: There are multiple portable toilets along the route and a wheelchair accessible washroom at the entrance to the park.
For more information or questions, please contact John Nishikawa at 416-518-5432.
Land Acknowledgement: The land in Toronto (Tkaronto) in what we now know as Canada, from where we are meeting, includes the traditional territories of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
We also acknowledge that Toronto and this area of Toronto have been included under the Williams Treaty, the Toronto Purchase - Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum inter-nation peace agreement.
We are doing a land acknowledgement today to recognize the communities of peoples that were present and inhabited the lands before us and the traditional territories of the peoples whose lands we are fortunate to share, live on and present from today. Also, in effort to continue to improve our ongoing inter-relations with members of First Nations and Indigenous communities today. We are mindful of broken covenants and the need to reconcile with all our relations. Together, may we care for this land and each other, drawing on the strengths of our mutual nation building through peace and friendship being mindful of generations to come.
