[CINC] Heron Questions

[mardanne at silcom.com]

I know many of you are knowledgeable birders and I have a question about the roosting areas for the herons/egrets/cormorants.

Across from the Beachside Restaurant, on the far side of the Goleta Slough, the herons have been roosting for the 21 years I’ve watched them.  Starting a year or so ago, the egrets began roosting in the area and I noticed MANY more cormorants last year, but later in the season, I thought they may be occupying the nests left by the larger birds.  Many of us commented on the large numbers of cormorants in many of the eucalyptus trees along the freeway in Summerland and Montecito as well. 

This year, on my visits to Goleta Beach, I  see very few herons, a few egrets and many many cormorants.  Does anyone have any information on this?  Does anyone know if the herons moved elsewhere and where that might be and why?  Any thoughts on the larger numbers of cormorants?  Is this just a shift in roosting areas, or a population shift?

Just wondering...
thanks for your info or referrals to more knowledgeable naturalists.
Marilyn Dannehower


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