Yesterday I reported on counts of Great Egrets and other colonial waterbirds on Motor Island (in the Niagara River) on June 6 that were made from the Sheridan Boat Launch between 6:15 AM and 7:53 AM EDT. In the email I said "This human disturbance [such as the possible shooting of Double-crested Cormorants] may also, in part, explain the drop in Great Egret numbers from a high of 140 on May 4th to 28 on June 6." In the email I should not have compared a evening count on May 4th to a morning count on June 6th. In the morning many egrets are foraging for there young and not on Motor Island so it was an unfair comparison. Yesterday in the evening between 8:38 and 9:44 PM I again counted the egrets on Motor Island. Between 8:38 and 8:48 PM I carefully counted the Great Egrets three time and recorded the highest number. I then observed and counted: adding egrets coming into the Motor Island and subtracting for egrets leaving the Motor Island. Results were recorded approximately every 10 minutes or when there was a break in the action. To my surprise many egrets were leaving the island and nearly all of these egrets flew south. David Gordon joined me later, and while I was continuing to watch and count egrets at Motor Island, Dave made some counts on Strawberry Island and thought there may have been 32 egrets, but was uncertain because of the lighting conditions, as by then it was very dark. I will make an egret count on Strawberry Island in the near future. Below are the net results of the egret counting on Motor Island on the evening of June 7: 8:38-8:43-----32 Great Egrets 8:43-8:57-minus2 Great Egrets 8:57-9:08-----+3 Great Egrets 9:08-9:23-----+9 Great Egrets 9:23-9:32-----+1 Great Egrets 9:23-9:44-----+0 Great Egrets --------------43 total Great Egrets Apparently, about 35% of the Great Egrets at Motor Island are out foraging in the early morning hours this time of year. Best Wishes for Great Birding, Bill Watson Tonawanda, NY --
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