Throughout the state of Pennsylvania,
Wade Island is the only habitat that the Great Egret occupies. For
some reason it seems to be an environment that is quite pleasing to
these regal looking birds. They have no natural predators on the island,
aside from the rare attack from a Great Horned Owl, and because people
are prohibited from walking on the island the home of the egret is
not usually disturbed or infringed upon.
We sat in the canoe and watched these graceful birds taking flight
and soaring through the sky. It was funny to see this slender bird
strutting across a branch and sometimes pausing in mid-stride to take
a look around.
Unfortunately for several years there has been incessant talk about
possibly raising the water level at a nearby dam and causing the river
to rise. The purpose of this would be to allow more recreational boating
in this part of the river where the water level is presently only
a few feet deep. The river ultimately would rise only a few feet,
but that would be enough to destroy the habitat for the egrets. Not
only would it make it's food supply scarce, but it would also succeed
in killing a number, if not all of the trees on the island, and thus
leaving the egrets without a place to nest.
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Measures have been taken to try and find alternative nesting areas
should the water level be raised, but none have actually worked. Large
nesting poles have been constructed on the island, but not one egret
has nested there since they were constructed.
Despite this possible danger the egrets continue to find a home on
Wade Island along with several other forms of wildlife, making it
one of the most spectacular and intriguing areas in Pennsylvania.
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