Niagara: Birding the Gorge

This past weekend was my annual trip to Niagara Falls.  Weather was OK Saturday, but then went downhill.  A carbon-copy of last year!  One had to persevere in the pouring rain and wind on Sunday, as there were lots of gulls to look at.
The sun was starting to come out Saturday morning as I arrived at NOTL about 08:30.  There was not much activity there, but a number of gulls were on the lake in the wind and a few Horned Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe, and several ducks.  A nice raft of White-winged Scoters drifted downriver.  The only loon of the trip was a distant Common.  Normally one would see a Red-throated or two there.

Paul Carter arrived and our next stop was Queenston boat launch.  Here was an amazing concentration of gulls.  But, nothing unusual!  Almost without fail each year you can get Little Gull here, but no.  In fact, the talk of the weekend among gullers was the absence of Little Gulls.  I have found that they are quite scarce this year for some reason.

View from the boat ramp

The next logical stop was the lookout over Queenston.  Vultures were seen in the distance and a couple, unidentifiable were perched in trees.  While we were scanning, Jean Iron and Ron Tozer arrived along with Mike Nelson and Maris Apse.  We saw several vultures and were able to pick out 3 Black Vultures in the distance.
On to the famous Adam Beck overlook.....
A number of familiar faces were there including Marianne and Aaron Balkwill who were overlooking the bonanza of gulls.
Several Kumlien's Iceland Gulls were present in various ages as well as a Thayer's and a few Lesser Black-backed.
A brief stop at the north side of the Whirlpool revealed spectacular scenery, but very few gulls.

I then headed north of the falls to look out there.  Countless gulls to go through!  It was nice to see that many gulls, but again nothing rare.  Several Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present as they normally are at this location.
At one point I heard a flock of White-winged Crossbills fly over, to add to the day's list.

"The barge"  (been there since 1918!)

My next stop was the breakwall and control structure farther upriver.  Another Lesser Black-backed or two and one that probably was a hybrid Herring X Lesser Black-backed.  Lots of gulls there too, anyway!
I then walked back downriver and met up with Tozer and Iron, Apse and Nelson. Others came along too.

We looked hard for the Black-headed Gull, but to no avail.  At one point Mark Cranford and Jean Iron had a very brief look at a Black-legged Kittiwake.  Where did it go?  We looked and looked and it was never seen again!  It probably went into the gorge.

No Kittiwake!

I then headed back to Adam Beck.  On the way, I checked into the Hampton Inn.  Quite a few OFO members were staying there.  I like the location and they have an excellent breakfast!
At Adam Beck overlook, probably half a dozen Iceland Gulls were present, but no Glaucous.  At one point Willie D'Anna picked out a "Nelson's" Gull.  An interesting bird to look at.  It was a bit darker overall than the one we had at Point Edward a month ago.

Sunday was a soaker.  I started at Adam Beck with the OFO group where the same birds from the previous day were seen.
I then went above the falls on my own.  I tried hard to pick out something different, and at one point I believe  I had the Black-headed Gull.  It was very brief though.  No Purple Sandpiper either!  I would have settled for a Dunlin at that point.  There sure were a lot of birds to sort through. Probably the most gulls I have seen there.
More familiar faces came along and I had a nice conversation with Hugh Currie.
I took one more look at the control gates area and for a second I thought I was at Rondeau when I saw a familiar face in the form of Steve Laforest, leading a group of birders!
After picking out more Lesser Black-backed and a possible Herring X Great Black-backed, I had enough by noon.  I was soaked and decided to work my way home.

West of London I took a leisurely drive along highway 2 stopping at few spots. One was the old golf course at Wardsville.  It was recently acquired by the Thames Talbot Trust and has reverted back to natural state.  It is a place to check in the future...