Hi Ontbirders, This morning, from approximately 0640 to 0655, I counted 15 Great Egrets disperse from their overnight roost on Lynde Creek at the Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby, Ontario. The egrets were roosting in groups of 3-5 birds in small trees on the wooded east side of the creek near the south end of the medium-sized cattail/phragmites island, upstream from the mouth of the creek. Most of the egrets dispersed as singles, pairs or triplets to the west and 10 of them were observed at 0705 foraging in Cranberry Marsh. Over the last 2-3 years, egrets which were observed foraging in Cranberry Marsh in the late afternoon, traditionally have flown to Lynde Creek to roost, sometimes in the shallow water at the south end of that cattail/phragmities island or in the trees on both the west and east banks of the creek. The morning dispersal follows the reverse route.
If anyone would like to take over the role of monitoring this roost site on a weekly basis for the next month or so, please contact me privately and we could take a look jointly over the week-end. Egrets roost in four of the marshes east of Toronto: the mouth of the Rouge River, Corner Marsh, Lynde Creek Marsh and Oshawa Second Marsh. If anyone knows of any other egret roosts in any of the other marshes in that area, please contact me. Thanks, Chip Directions: From Hwy 401 in Whitby, take the Salem Rd exit south to Bayly St., turn left, continue past Halls Road on your right, the next turnoff on your right will be the parking lot for the Conservation Area. Walk down the narrow paved road leading south from the parking lot for about 10 minutes. Fifty metre or so before you come to the east observation platform overlooking Cranberry Marsh, there is a maintaoin gravel path leading off to the left (east). Follow this until it makes a sweeping left turn at the Lara Ann Cole Memorial bench. Continue straight ahead into the bush. Shortly you'll come to the creek, go to your right 25-30-35 m and you'll see the south end of the cattail/phragmites island. That is the area of the roost. _______________________________________________ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
