Ontbirders, This morning, Cecile and Morris Yarrow and I were at the Demorestville egret roost (at 0500) and observed 7 Great Egrets disperse from their roost in the "Hamilton Wetlands". The birds settled into the nearby shallow water almost immediately and began foraging. The Yarrows had observed 4 egrets in this roost on the evening of 18 June as well.
This is the first egret roosting activity for this "summer", away from breeding colonies, of which we are aware. Mid-late June seems to be the earliest time that egret roosts, which will be more heavily populated in August-September, begin to show activity .....but data are lacking for many of the roosts which volunteers have reported to us over the years. I would like to call on those volunteers (and other interested parties) to check the various roosts with which they are familiar for activity this month. They include roosts at the following locations: Wheatley Harbour, Indian Island, Rouge River Beach, Parkhill Dam, Hespeler, Holiday Beach, Hoople Creek, Carroll's Point, Minesing Swamp, Oshawa 2nd Marsh, Belwood Lake, Hullett, Lynde Shores-Cranberry Marsh and others. Please report the details of any egret roosting activity (or lack thereof) to me privately. Many thanks, Chip Directions: The Demorestville roost is located on the south side of Hwy 14, 2.5 km west of the bridge in Demorestville in Prince Edward County. Alternatively, take Hwy 62 south through ...and well past...Bellville to Hwy 14, turn left on to it and follow it for 6.8 km. The best view point of the roost area is a small clearing in the red cedars which border the Hwy; it is marked with a tennis ball atop a metal fence post (T-bar) and a No Trespassing sign. _______________________________________________ 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
