At daybreak I was in Artpark waiting to see the Turkey Vultures coming off the roost on the Canadian side of the Niagara River between the General Brock Statue and the Queenston Sand Docks. I left after 9AM without seeing a single vulture. The sun eventually bathed the entire Canadian bank and I was hoping something would stir. There were plenty of Bonaparte Gulls and I never saw the Kittiwake. Heard a few crows and a raptor flew from the US side to the Canadian side. Plenty of fishermen on shore and in boats and more coming all the time. The Queenston boat launch was going continuously and boats were coming from Lewiston as well. I saw one fish caught. Yesterday I stayed until 9am and then saw 2 Turkey Vultures near the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge coming downriver. Then a single coming from further upriver. I saw them from the Robert Moses Parkway southbound where there is a pulloff just past the bridge but never saw another vulture. On a previous day with Bill Watson we saw Turkey Vultures over the Lewiston boat launch area. To reach the Artpark view opposite the General Brock statue take the I-190 to the Lewiston exit then take Main St. towards Lewiston. One of the first red lites is Portage Avenue to the left and take it right into the backdoor of Artpark. After a long distance with no left turns do not take either of the left turns into the 1st parking lot then continue into the second parking lot and take the first left turn up the muddy road to the end at at gorge side parking lot near a huge white artwork to the heavens. You should be right across from the General Brock Statue. Go to anyplace along the fence. I went to the large cement International Boundary Marker with a 2 foot diameter widening to 2.5 feet at the base and about 3.5 feet high with a brass name plate about 2 inches in diameter. Makes me wonder if the vultures are roosting someplace upriver. Jerry LazarczykGrand Island NY. _______________________________________________ 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/
