There were lots of birders on the river today. There were also a lot of gulls, with 11 species and three hybrids reported. But finding the uncommon and rare species proved difficult. I will list the highlights of the day and hopefully, I will hear from other folks who had additional sightings.
Glaucous Gull - second-winter at Adam Beck overlook. An adult was also reported from here. Iceland Gull - fair numbers. One team on the NY side reported that they had seen 16 in the area of the falls and downriver. Lesser Black-backed Gull - The same team on the NY side reported 24, many at Goat Island. Thayer's Gull - an adult at Adam Beck, possibly more than one as it was reported a few times during the day. A second-winter and a third-winter were viewed above the falls (from the control gates and from behind the gatehouse). HERRING X GLAUCOUS GULL (aka NELSON'S GULL) - a first-year bird was reported by Jim Pawlicki and Andy Guthrie from lower Queenston (i.e., downriver from the Lewiston-Queenston bridge). Later, what was likely the same bird was seen well from the Adam Beck overlook, picked out by Jay McGowan. This was a sharp-looking bird. It seemed about the size of a large Herring Gull and was coffee-with-cream colored overall and highly checkered. The primary tips were almost concolor with the rest of the upperparts, perhaps just slightly darker. The bill was pink-based with a fairly sharply demarcated black tip. Herring X Great Black-backed Gull - reported above the falls (from the control gates). Herring X Lesser Black-backed Gull - above the falls (from the control gates). BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE - a first year was seen by just a few people very briefly above the falls (below the barge) with Bonaparte's Gulls. Little Gull - one adult was reported below the falls. FRANKLIN'S GULL - presumably the same second-winter bird that has been seen was reported from the Adam Beck overlook, feeding in the right-hand end of the power dam opposite the overlook. It was not found on the roosting rocks today, which were occupied by fishermen. Other birds reported to me included three BLACK VULTURES roosting in a tree on the NY side, several TUNDRA SWANS above the control gates, and a juvenile WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL at Fort Niagara State Park. Good birding! Willie ------------------ Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com <http://www.betsypottersart.com/> _______________________________________________ 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/
