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December 2006

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Thu, 7 Dec 2006 20:50:54 -0500
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            Conditions were steady 30 mph winds and scattered snow
storms. Temps in the mid 20's Farenheit. A few glimpses of the sun.

Headlands Beach S.P.

Grt. Black-backed Gull - 3
Bonaparte's Gull
Herring Gulls
Ringbilled Gulls
R.b. Mergansers
Ruddy Ducks
Horned Grebe
D.C. Cormorant -1
Am. Coot
American Tree Sparrow - lots
FOX Sparrow - 2
Bald Eagle - 1
possible Pine Siskin - 3 plus birds I got a decent glimpse of tail
feathers as they flew off

Perry Park

Harlequin Duck- 2 flyby
Buffle Head
Greater Scaup
Am. Black Duck - 10
Red-breasted Merganser - 1000+
Tundra Swan - 50 flybys
Jaeger sp. (looked like Pomarine, but a little far to be sure) - 1 it
was a dark specimen that was little bigger than the ring-billed it
chased
Little Gull - 2
Bonaparte's Gull - 1000, we stopped counting at a thousand and left
Grt. Black-backed Gull- 1
Ringbilled Gull - 174+
Herring Gull - 20

Eastlake - high waves, Mergansers and the usual gulls.

E. 72nd Street area. (lots and lots and lots of gulls)

Black-legged Kittiwake - 1, probly the same Juv. that has been there,
flying and feeding quite striking once found.
Little Gull - 3
Bonapartes - 500+
Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 2, one in the marina area on the water and
1 out in front of the water outlet.
Great B.Backed - plenty
Ring-billed Gulls - lots
Herring Gulls - Lots
Canvas Back - 1
Hooded Mergansers - 6
Red-breasted Mergainsers = 1000's


   Well, the plans were made a few days ago so we decided to go through
with them, as John Kuenzli, Dan Sanders, and I went up to the Lake for
some fun and adventure. I must admit I was a little less excited to go
because I knew I should have been trying for the Western Tanager again
this morning (congrats Jason et. al.) but decided to let that sighting
literally cool off a little and try for my other current Ohio nemesis,
Purple Sandpiper. We drove thru a good snowstorm dodging spinning cars
and slow traffic, my trusty old bimmer cruised on thanks to the snow
tires. The weather had cleared a bit when we got to Headlands, the gate
to the back parking lot was closed so we took the back road fisherman's
access. We were bundled up well and faced the strong winds and snow
with a steely glint in our eyes (along with wind tears) and well
insulated clothing. The breakwall prevented exploring past the beach
very far due to the slick ice all over it further out. We AGAIN dipped
on the Purple Sandpipers. Well I guess John allready has it for the
year, but yeah we failed to produce one at any stops.
       Little Gulls were a good sight as we sat in our car at Perry park
and counted Bonapartes that were streaming by, they were folowing those
guys as they traveled west. The Jaeger flew in to the west and chased a
couple gulls before dissappearing further to the west. Looked to be a
Pom. due to size and flight style. This marks the 12th Jaeger I've seen
on the lake in the past month's span of days. The Harlequins were seen
flying with a group of Mergansers.
     At E. 72nd street we were met by high cold winds and chaotic
vistas. Gulls were everywhere all facing the wind coming from the
north, and circulating in a mass crowd at the water outlet and further
out as well. I doubted that we'd find the Kittiwake in all this
crazyness and the sheer numbers of gulls and movement. Our biggest hope
was to find it somehow flying and see its bold wing pattern. We tried
braving the wind here but it was blowing right in our face so we
crossed the bridge by car and parked along the edge of the parkinglots
across in the other park there. We saw the Little Gulls out with a more
distant group of Bonaparte's through the spotting scope. Then all of a
sudden (after being told to move the car by the plucky park 'police',
apparently we were blocking the flow of traffic (all zero people who
were crazy enough to be out there like us) and close inspection of our
contraband cookies in ziplock bag) as i was saying all of a sudden John
said he had the bird and then Dan saw it flying they were both on it
and then lost it and then at last I found it again and we all watched
as it dove rapidly and caught some fish and flew actively about in the
crowd of gulls. Pretty cool, and John was stoked since it was a
state-bird for him (second time for me).  All in all a good days work.
           Other sightings include a COOPER'S HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK and
another BALD EAGLE seen from the car.
  Speaking of that I saw 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS last night as I was driving
around they appeared to be a courting pair since they followed each
other accross the road near my house. Also seen Yesterday were 3
AMERICAN KESTRELS along my local roads.
          GREAT birding everyone,
 Ben -hoping to finally see the Tanager tomorrow morn.- Warner
       Sunbury Oh.
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