Niagara Falls in Winter

The falls offer a different beauty in the winter

Niagara Falls in the winter is not for everybody.  Niagara Falls at six below zero appeals to even fewer individuals.  I had often read of the great variety and number of gulls found during the winter along the Niagara River. I decided to make a quick road trip there in the hopes that the severe weather we have been having lately might improve in a few days to make a trip to the Sax Zim bog in northern Minnesota possible .  A second incentive was a desire to improve my identification skills.  I have often thought that the more time spent trying to get the "perfect shot" of an individual bird (photographer mode) tends to limits the practice needed to gain field identification skills (birder mode).  I hope to turn the dial more toward the birder side this year.


Above the falls at six below

A total of 19 species of gulls have been recorded in the Niagara area with a record of 14 being seen in one day. That is apparently a world record.   Besides the usual Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls, it is possible to see Bonaparte's, Little, California, Thayer's, Glaucous, Franklin's, Iceland, Large Black-backed Gull,  Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sabine's, Ross's Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Ivory, Slaty-backed, and Heerman's.  Since gulls can have a different plumages in each of their first 3 to four years of life and exhibit individual variability, identification can be very challenging and frustrating.


Expect to find warmly dressed tourists in the area

A third reason for going was to witness another one of nature's spectacles.  Every evening just before dark thousands of Bonaparte's Gulls, which have been feeding on the river, fly past Niagara on the Lake to roost on Lake Ontario at night.  This usually occurs through mid January.  Other species may join this group.  This spectacle has been named "The Niagara Fly Past".

The drive from Michigan was uneventful.  We checked into our hotel, bundled up, and joined the rest of the tourists.  My first impression was that Niagara Falls in the winter is not much different from Niagara Falls in the summer.  There are the same huge numbers of tourists, high prices, and a little tackiness which detracts from the beauty of the natural falls themselves.  Gaudy lighting on the streets and attractions are just the beginning.  Since parking is at a premium people stop their vehicles in the middle of the street so a passenger can jump out and take a picture while drivers behind then curse.  This may have been exacerbated by the cold.

My biggest disappointment, however, was seeing that the number of gulls was greatly diminished from what I had expected.  Both in the gorge and above the falls the numbers were down.  I counted only four species (Great Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull).  I did not see a single Bonaparte's Gull.  I began to suspect that the extreme cold and icing had driven many of the gulls to the east coast and south already.


Notice the ice build up on the Mute Swan's bill

My fears were confirmed the next day as I checked along the river to Niagara on the Lake and found more of the same.  The river contained mostly Long-tailed Ducks and White-winged Scoters although there were a few Mute Swans, Canadian Geese, Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Buffleheads.  Just in case I had missed the gulls on the river somehow, I spent an hour before dark along the river to see the "Fly Past".  Very few gulls sailed by but hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks and White-winged Scoters gradually traveled to spend the night on Lake Ontario.  Edie wisely decided to skip the "Fly Past" and spent the time shopping in Niagara on the Lake.  We found the atmosphere here much more enjoyable than in the Niagara Falls area.  We ate at the Little Red Rooster restaurant before returning to our hotel. 


Long-tailed Ducks

Male and female White-winged Scoters

For anybody wanting to go winter "gulling" I would advise mid November thru December or at least during a normal temperature year if going in early January.