Finally! This was the 8th time that I walked the breakwall and/or went
up to the Lake in hopes of finding the Purple Sandpiper and today was
my lucky day. Thanks goes out to Dan Sanders and John Keunzli for it
was their dogged determination that got the birds. Personally I was
tired today But walked out there once again on the breakwall at
Headlands Beach State Park. We dodged waves and remaining ice and snuck
around the lighthouse, then there at the very end nearly of the break
was the bird, he even hopped up ontop of one of the stacks of large
blocks out there. Then He afforded great looks after flying around us
and back towards the lighthouse. We had cautiously approached and stood
stiil while I took some photo's as the fun little bird walked around
and fed on some stuff right near us.

       We had first gone and explored far and wide at Mentor Lagoons
area to try and find the King Eider, but we only found some usual birds
and a group of about 15 birds made up of SURF SCOTERS AND BLACK
SCOTERS. Some of the first year male Surf's made us look very carefully
since they looked so funny with shaggy brown tones and yellow on the
bills. Oh well.
            We also hit Eastlake Powerplant where John Announced he was
on an apparent adult GLAUCOUS GULL. It was in quite close on the water,
a larger whiter bird with obvious white wingtips, and a pale gray
mantle. John had seen it flap and that was what alerted him first. I
got out to try and digi-scope a picture but of course as soon as I had
just about set up, the bird flew. It was neat to see it fly tho, such a
pale bird, and a first for me. We also had LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL,
and the other 4. Of course there was also several thousand Red-breasted
Mergansers, plus a couple Common Mergansers and a Comm. Goldeneye.
Today we also saw about 5 Bald Eagles including one Juvenile.
        Well thats all for now, I'm really tired, but what a relief to
get the mystical beast known as Purple Sandpiper at last.
 - Ben Warner
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