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Birders, With cold temps keeping the fields frozen, we decided to check the gulls around the Niagara River. We checked from Queenston to above the falls. Great numbers of Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed with low numbers of Iceland, Glaucous and Lesser Black-backed Gull. No Thayer's or Little found. The Gull highlight of the day came in the afternoon above the falls, here we had: 2 different adult (presumed) Great Black-backed X Herring hybrids - one with a bright yellow bill and little head streaking, one with a duller bill and more brownish head streaking 1 3rd Basic (presumed) Great Black-backed X Herring hybrid 1 adult (presumed) Herring X Lesser Black-backed Hybrid - smaller, and with heavier grayish head streaking vs. the above birds Hopes of Slaty-backed or other species kept popping up. After four "dark mantled - pinked legged" hybrid gulls, I was starting to wonder if I was dreaming! Lots of birds, so something could still be hiding out there! Another highlight of the day was a mostly white American Crow about 250m north of the Adam Beck Overlook on the side of the road. I eventually got some pictures of the bird, which I just posted on my website (link on my "What's New" page http://www.peregrineprints.com/ind__WhatsNew.htm ) After a long questioning from a Hydro One worker (as to what we were doing with the big camera) - he eventually told us that they had seen two of these "white crows" around the area for a while. Good Birding! Brandon and Eric Holden _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
