In Ottawa Co., n.w. Ohio, where State Route 19 crosses the wide Toussaint
River (about 2 miles south of Rt 2 and 4 miles north of Oak Harbor), there
have been hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls for the last few days -- almost all
adults.  On Thursday Nov. 6 they were joined by hundreds of Ring-billed
Gulls and a few Herring Gulls, again mostly adults.  A fair number of Great
Blue Herons are present, and a few lingering Great Egrets.  So far I haven't
seen anything unusual among this concentration, but it would be worth a
check for anyone who's birding in the area (this is very close to Magee
Marsh / Ottawa NWR, and we won't be able to check this weekend since we're
off to Texas).  The best place to park is on the north side of the river and
west side of Rt 19, where there's a pulloff leading into the Toussaint
Wildlife Area.  From here you can scope the west side and walk across to
scope the east side.

Not far away as the gull flies, Turtle Creek crosses Lemon Road about a mile
south of Rt 2 and just north of Duff Washa Road (yeah, that's really the
name).  Turtle Creek was very low on Thursday Nov. 6, and had extensive
exposed mudflats just east of Lemon Road.  About 400 Ring-billed Gulls were
in the area, but the flats also attracted 41 Killdeer and 17 Pectoral
Sandpipers -- a good number of Pecs for so late in the season, considering
that they'll mostly go to southern South America for the brief winter and
still be back this way by March.  The best viewing is from Duff Washa Rd but
it's not safe to stop there; best to park up around the corner on Lemon Road
and walk back to view the flats.

Kenn Kaufman
Rocky Ridge, Ohio

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