March 31 - Looking from Goat Island at Niagara Fall at the small islands above the Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls at the former Black-crown Night-Heron Colony there were: 23 Great Egrets - five were sitting on nests (probably too early for incubation since one stood up to copulate) possible just guarding their property. 52 Black-crowned Night-Herons 74 Double-crested Cormorant - about 20 on nests 2 Harlequin Ducks with 3 Gadwalls were about a km upstream from the colony by the island with two trees on it. 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls - one adult and two second cycle Of possible interest on Goat Island was a flock of 8 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 2 Tufted Titmice, and a very early migrant Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Traveling about 6 km south on the Robert Moses Parkway and stopping at the water intake to check the Navy Island Bald Eagle nest I saw both Bald Eagle adults and at least two very very early NESTLINGS on the nest !! The early nestling record for New York is April 11. I suspect it is even later for Ontario. Best Wishes for Great Birding, Bill Watson _______________________________________________ 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/
