Nine birders from the Mountwood Bird Club, Parkersburg, WV went to Ashtabula to look for the Snowy Owl and Black-tailed Gull on Wednesday & Thursday, February 8 & 9.  And we found both, thanks to all the help from the postings of the [Ohio-birds] list server.

We arrived on Wednesday late morning and found the Snowy Owl soon thereafter.  It was perched on a small white structure to the left of the large white domed building, as viewed from the shelter on the hill in Lake Shore Park.  It stayed there all afternoon.  We looked for the Black-tailed Gull all afternoon until dusk, from Lake Shore Park, the concrete bridge area and the area around the museum on the hill.  We never did find it.

We came back to the Lake Shore Park shelter about 7:30 Thursday morning and found the Black-tailed Gull immediately, perched on the blue building nearest the shelter.  After a few minutes it flew off to the back side of the building.  But it came back about 15 minutes later and gave good views sitting, walking and flying.  We watched it until about 9:30.

The Snowy Owl was a life bird for some.  The Black-tailed Gull was a lifer for all.  Thanks to all for the help.  And we were glad to make a small contribution to the local Ohio economy - five rooms at the local motel, 27 meals, several stops at the local coffee shop and several tanks of gas.

Dick & Jeanette Esker
Wood County
West Virginia
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