July 31 - At Wood Marsh and Patty 2 there were 5 Hooded Mergansers, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Caspian Terns, and 7 Great Egrets. The Great Egrets flew east in the direction of the Great Blue Heron colony at the north edge of Hunter's Marsh (or Wood Marsh east). Taking the long walk in, as I got close I could see 2 GBH and 4 GBH nests, but no Great Egrets so I turned around and walked out and hurried to Iroquois NWR. At Iroquois I parked on Rt. 77 near the Feeder Road and walked east on the Feeder Road for 25 minutes (about a mile). About 200 yards in I was surprised to see a Black tern carrying food. ( I thought these bird had left there breeding grounds two weeks ago.) In the large open area past the treed section I saw nothing and continued another 200 yards, when I saw 51 Great Egrets in flight flying west past me. I also so one still at the roost still about 200 yards northeast of me. Although I was initially surprised that the egrets flushed from there roost when I was so far away, I have come to know this species as very skittish, wary, and antsy. This is not surprising because Great Egrets in the early 1900s were hunted on there colonies for there plumes to near extinction. Certainly only the Great Egrets in the gene pool with the most skittish, weary and antsy genes survived. I find it difficult to understand why the NYSDEC in Region 9 has the policy of shooting Double-crested Cormorants nesting at or near Great Egret or Great Blue Heron Colonies. At the very least this is going to result in increased rates of siblicide in Great Egrets (Mock). Best Wishes for Great Birding, Bill Watson Tonawanda, NY --
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