Gull symposium field trip 1/8/05

[jen brumfield]

Hi all -

All comments and discussions recieved branded the Kirtland Bird Club's/Ohio 
Ornithological Society's 'Gull Symposium' as a very successful venture. I 
regret that I, personally, could not attend the day's workshops. I caught 
the tail-end by greeting the masses at the lakefront for some real-life 
gulling. It was most fun to see 'you' - 'you' including about 100 or more 
coat-clad birders stationed at the shores of E. 72nd and E. 55th. Though ice 
was few and far between (except on the roadsides), the gulls "still 
outnumbered the birders" as Larry Rosche put it best. Fazio and I discussed 
the lack of ice vrs. the congregation of large gulls - coming to the obvious 
agreement that had the lake been more heavily iced over, we'd have had a 
more massive grouping of gulls around the warm water outflow - an almost 
annual event that was not to be had this year - at least at this time. Those 
who are eager to continue with their gull ID skills should take Fazio's 
advice and, at present, perhaps venture WESTWARD in their journeys, to East 
Harbor and environs around the greater Cedar Point area, where he notes a 
larger ice shelf to be present. Regardless, we were greeted by a decent 
gathering of gulls, with a grand total of 7 gull species recorded for the 
day.

SIGHTINGS (2 p.m. - 5 p.m./ Jan 8, 2005)
As I arrived at East 72nd around 2 p.m., I met with (respectively) Ed 
Pierce, Vic Fazio, and Ben Winger, for a few minutes of downtime searching. 
Ed had arrived first on the scene, canvased the area and found RING-BILLED, 
HERRING, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS (at LEAST 280, fide Fazio), all in an 
assortment of age groups. He reported a single Double-crested Cormorant, a 
well-studied mass of Red-breasted Mergansers, and a single Common Goldeneye. 
We chimed in with a very distant (far breakwall) group of BONAPARTE'S GULLS 
(between 75 - 115...fide Rosche and Fazio). Later, participants were able to 
study a single 'Bonie' that came into the hotwaters for a brief flyby.

We scouts split up for more canvasing - I had previously stopped at E. 55th 
only to notice another grouping of at least 500 or more 'large gulls' 
resting on the docks at 55th, and a group of 150 or more Ring-bills on the 
lawn. Pierce and party moved to check out the E. 72nd boat docks.
Soon afterward, Ben Winger and I picked up on a 'odd light gull', which, 
upon a second fly-by study most obviously proved to be a 2nd yr. THAYER'S 
GULL. Vic took video, and stills can be seen on his site:     
aves.net/birdnews/
Thanks for the documentation Vic! The first still shows, very well, the 
outer webbing on the primaries, and the second still determines, more 
distinctly, the overall faded/wholesomely paler and washed out brown 
colorations of the species. What was most likely this same bird was observed 
again, around 4:30 by (respectively) Pogacnik, Gardella, Brumfield, and 
parties.

Various age groups and 'odd' plumages were studied by participants, 
everything from very dark 1st year Herrings, to very washed out light 1st 
yr. Herrings, and a heavily streaked and marked 1st yr Great Black-Back. It 
was great to study the diversity of plumages. Whether or not participants 
immediately mastered gull identification was a moot point. All participants 
that I talked to were confident in their abilities to better learn 'their' 
gulls.

Around 4:40, a brief 'scare up' of gulls erupted at E. 55th...probably 
another plane landing at Burke... A group of large gulls and about a hundred 
Ring-bills maneuvered over towards E. 72nd, where a very cold group of 
birders were still stationed in ever-present anticipation. All I remember is 
seeing Larry Rosche flailing his arms, jogging his way towards us, and 
pointing out over the waters.
'CALIFORNIA GULL' was his exclamation, and we immediately aimed our scopes 
and bins at the bird. Bobbing in between waves was an adult winter Cal-gull, 
which was studied very well for about a half hour or more.

With ice and slush coagulating very nicely within my boots and freezing my 
ankles and shins, and cold wind searing my cheeks to a tomato color, I 
thought it best to head out. I briefly stopped at E.55th, where another 
regiment of birders were holding their ground against the fading light. 
Shively, Whan, and party (respectively) had scopes aimed on a HERRINGXGREAT 
BLACK-BACKED GULL, and later found a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. They brought 
the count to 7 species of gulls - and actually, if you want to be really 
gull-crazy for a moment...Seven and a HALF species of gulls!

Good to see you, good to meet you, and good birding to you all -
Jen


Jen Brumfield
elfin_skimmer at hotmail.com
Akron, OH