Bill, I probably should have updated this Listserv last night after I visited. Over a dozen egrets were on the island, along with over 40 Great Blue Herons, 60 Cormorants,, and five Herring gulls! This location is usually a good spot to see Black-crowned Night-Herons in the summer too. It's a fascinating sight, so birders in the area should check it out! James Muller On Wed, Mar 29, 2017, 5:15 PM Bill Whan <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Visible from the vantage point atop the ancient Shrum Mound in Columbus > (https://www.ohioexploration.com/mounds/shrummound/), and from a small > pull-out on Riverside Drive to the south, a persistent bird colony has > again formed on a conical island in the Scioto River. Today more than a > hundred cormorants and nearly as many great blue herons have started > nesting, and expected soon are a similar numbers of great egrets. These > species are largely dedicated to nesting spots surrounded by water, and > this is the largest colony in the county. Soon, great egrets will be > joining the throng; they have been gathering along the river for the > past few weeks. > Other species that insist on nesting sites surrounded by water will > inhabit this island. Over the past three years, a pair of herring > gulls--attracted by big chunks of limestone along the SE corner of the > island--has laid eggs there; as far as I know, these nests have never > yielded young birds, but the adults keep trying; the birds are easy to > see on the southeast side. GB herons in the county are more adaptable, > but this--as far as I know--is the only spot in the county where many > great egrets, gb herons, and cormorants nest together, and the only spot > for the gulls. It's been a great place to avoid humans for many years. > Bill Whan > Cols > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > Please consider joining our Society, at > www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]