Hi all,
Spent a few hours birding Cleveland Lakefront State Park at E. 72nd St in Cuyahoga County. North winds have pushed many birds much closer to shore and there were close to 10,000 gulls present between E55th and E72nd. The ratio of Herring to Ring-billed Gulls has been steadily changing all week with Herrings now making up the majority of the birds present. 
The Mew Gull was an adult bird spotted at around 3:00pm sitting on the slush ice 50 yards west of the "hot" water outlet.The gull was noticeably smaller and and darker mantled than the surrounding Ring-billed Gulls with very heavy streaking on the head and neck, a dark eye and a small,yellow, un-ringed bill. When the bird stretched it's wings their was significantly less black on the primaries and large white spots on the primaries. Around 3:15 the bird picked up and headed east into the main group of gulls where it was lost track of. Around 4:05 the bird was re-spotted in the same general area flying with a large onshore group. Subsequent efforts to refind the bird were unsuccessful.
The number of white-winged gulls has also increased since yesterday, with 5 Glaucous Gulls and 2 Iceland Gulls being found whereas there were none previously. 
Good luck to those trying to relocate the bird tomorrow, that's probably where I'll be.
Philip Chaon




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