Night-Heron. One somewhat long subelliptical or elongate ovate set was 
intermediate, about 50x35 mm, and an unfamiliar deep blue. Our suspi¬ 
cion that this nest, placed five feet high in a crotch near the trunk, was 
that of Glossy Ibis was confirmed by later research. Colin Harrison (1978) 
described eggs of this ibis as "Uniform light blue, much deeper than on 
heron eggs," giving measurements of 53-36 mm (vs. 53-37 for the 
night-heron). 
Six weeks later, on July 23,1999, the author returned to Island "B" with 
Warden Richard W. MacDonald and Robert C. Wei. We soon found a nest, 
south of the putative ibis nest of June 12, placed about 7-feet high in a 
basswood sapling and containing three downy Glossy Ibis nestlings. 
With their black down and pink bills circled by three black bands, they 
were curious looking, to say the least. They were banded, photographed, 
and replaced in the nest. These were half-grown chicks, or about three 
weeks old. Shortly after, we retrieved an older, nearly fledged bird of 
about six weeks from a nearby sapling where it was perched, able to 
climb and flap awkwardly. This young ibis had a more fully decurved 
bill, patches of white on the crown and throat, iridescent feathering, and 
was also banded and photographed before release. The four Glossy Ibis 
were fitted with size 6 aluminum bands 966-51846 through 51848 and 
966-51852. 
OCCURRENCE IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA AND NEW YORK 
A half-century ago, the only nesting Glossy Ibis population in the 
United States was confined to southern Florida. A northward expansion 
followed, with birds nesting in New Jersey in 1955, Maryland and 
Virginia in 1956, and Long Island in 1961 (Peterson 1988). By 1970 they 
had moved up the New England coast to southern Maine (Erwin 1979), 
nesting in Massachusetts in 1974 (Veit and Petersen 1993). In Maine, 
breeding was confirmed in three Atlas blocks, possible in two others 
between 1978-83, all on the extreme southeast coast (Adamus n.d.). 
Spahn (1998) observed of New York, "Since the earliest discovery of nest¬ 
ing in the state, the center of breeding activity has remained in south¬ 
western LI," noting that this ibis also nests on Staten Island. 
The northernmost confirmed Glossy Ibis nesting in Maine was in Atlas 
block 028 near Portland, Cumberland County. Thus, the Four Brothers 
not only provide the first and only nesting for upstate New York, but also 
appear to be the northernmost Glossy Ibis colony in the world. 
14 The Kingbird 2000 March; 50(1) 
