This morning, at 722, there was a Great Egret at the north end of Van Wagners Beach. In all likelihood, this is the same bird that Kevin McLaughlin reported to Hamilton Birders yesterday; he saw it there at 830 Saturday morning. I was also at the High Level Bridge, in Hamilton, with Peter Scholtens and his son, this morning before sunrise....looking for Kevin's egret at the two known autumn roosts that are visible from the Bridge ---one at Hickory Island (to the west) and the other at Carroll's Point; (to the east) - there were no egrets there. This suggest that the egret may have roosted in...or near...Van Wagners Pond. This would either be an unusual behaviour (roosting solitarily in a marsh) or at the very least a new roosting site for the Hamilton area. I would like to ask if any birders see this egret towards dusk this evening, please stay around and watch it to see what it does as it gets dark. Does it stay in the pond or does it fly off somewhere? That's quite a simply...but important question re spring roosting behaviour of Great Egrets. I'll try to be there myself.
Thanks, Chip Directions: From Toronto, take the QEW towards Niagara, as you approach the Skyway Bridge, take Eastport Drive...stay on it over the Lift Bridge and along the Bay on your right. Turn left onto Beach Blvd (there is a sign), go right at the next set of lights (Van Wagners Beach Road) and go down that road until you come to a marshy area on your right. The egret was right there along the roadside at the beginning of the marshy area. _______________________________________________ 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/
