This morning, from 0641 to 0658, I counted 16 Great Egrets leaving the roost at Shirley's Bay at the west end of Burlington Bay in Hamilton. The egrets were roosting in the trees on the wooded west-facing slopes of Shirley's Bay and are easily visible from the High Level bridge, looking east. On 26 August 2011, Clive Hodder observed 14 egrets arrive at this roost between 740 and 815 PM. Egrets have been on the move for 6-8 weeks now.
In the last two weeks, other egret roosts have been report as follows: Luther Marsh - 384 egrets, 29 Aug.; 340 egrets, 6 Sept., Linda McLaren Speed River at Hespeler - 5 egrets, 9 Sept., Rob McIver Mouth of the Rouge River - 3 egrets, 9 Sept, Ann Brokleman Wildwood Lake - 5 egrets, 7 Sept., Herman Veenendaal Conroy Island (Ottawa/Alymer) - 26 egrets, 8 Sept., Rod Dubois If any Ontbirders would like to help track and count egrets roosts in their area, please contact me privately. Thanks, Chip Directions: From Hwy 403, westbound, coming into Hamilton from Toronto area, get off at Exit 73 (York Blvd). Immediately upon joining York Blvd., you'll pass over the High Level Bridge - there will be water visible on both sides of you. Immediately after that, there is a small pull off on your right. Park there. Walk back to the south end of the bridge on the east side - there is a "lookout" near a stone cairn for the war of 1812.....look to the northeast to the treed hillside across the small bay. The egrets roost in those trees. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
