In addition to the 117+ Great Egrets that were leaving the Luther Marsh egret roost around sunrise (0606) this morning, 3 wing-tagged egrets were observed, among 28 egrets present, at 0643 a short distance away at a pond locally known as the Roadside Swamp. There were two green-tagged birds (banded in July 2011 on Nottawasaga Island near Cornwall as flightless young); these birds had not been reported previously. There was also a single orange (now faded to white)-tagged bird (banded at the same location in July 2010 as a flightless young); it was present on 23 May 2013 at the Nottawasaga colony and probably bred there but it could not be tracked to its nest. In the more than 10 years we have been banding egrets at Nottawasaga, we have found that 1 year old birds do NOT return to the colony. Of the banded/tagged egrets we have seen at the Nottawasaga breeding colony, about 30% were first seen as 2 year olds and 30% were first seen as 3 year olds. The remainder were older than that when first observed there.
Now that egrets are beginning to undergo post-breeding dispersal and leaving their breeding colonies, Ontbirders are encouraged to visit Luther Marsh and the Roadside Swamp (directions below) to search for banded or wing-tagged egrets. We know that egrets from the breeding colonies at both Collingwood and Southampton disperse to and roost at Luther Marsh during the post-breeding season. Red leg-bands and coloured wing-tags both have 2-number/1-letter characters on them, e.g. 32G, that will identify individual birds. Good luck.......please report any banded/tagged birds to me personally. Thanks, J Chip Directions to the Roadside Swamp: From Grand River, Ontario, take Hwy 25 north to Concession 6-7 (it is marked with a Conservation Authority sign and says "Luther"), turn left (west ) and follow it to Side Road 21-22 where you must turn right (north). Follow it for approximately 1.8 km....the Roadside swamp is readily visible on your left. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
