Greetings birders -
Led a Cleveland Metroparks walk today at East 72nd. From 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. we were treated to phenomenal looks at "white-winged" gulls, under PERFECT conditions. Cloudy gray skies (NOT sunshine...sun=bad viewing) allowed for the gray and white shades to show true. The ice shelf is in bigtime, with open water only around the power plant outflow, drawing gulls in CLOSE. There are thousands (emphasis on that) of gulls sitting out on the ice by the far breakwall. The birds we studied were those in the immediate hotwaters area.
Here is the run-down on gulls: 8 species total (including Great Black-backed, Herring, Ring-billed, and Bonaparte's Gulls)
ICELAND GULL: 9
First winter (or first-basic or first-cycle) birds were easy to find and viewed so well, with FIVE found: including one fairly dark individual (bordering on typical 1st year Thayer's), three light mocha-brown birds, and a very pale whitish individual. A spectacular near-immaculate 2nd-year Iceland was a real treat to see. Two third-winter birds were in the mix, and a single adult was seen.
THAYER'S GULL: 3
In the immediate hotwaters area I briefly found one first-winter bird. The real treat was prolonged looks at a single adult in flight and sitting (bathing) in the water. Incredible in-flight and perched views of a 2nd-winter Thayer's was the highlight for me. This bird had a bi-colored bill, light brown tail band, dusky brown secondaries, dark mocha primaries, and overall the upper body was a fine almost unicolor blend of gray mantle and light brown head and underparts.
GLAUCOUS GULL: 11
Five adults, two 2nd-winter birds, and four 1st-winter birds. Three of the first winter birds were creamy fawn-colored, and the fourth was very very clean white.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: 10
In the immediate hotwaters area (without scanning far out onto the ice): 4 adults, two 2nd-winters, three 1st-winters, and one 3rd-winter.
At one point we had a single scope view consisting of TWO 1st-winter Icelands, a 1st-winter Glaucous, and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
At another point, had 4 different Glaucous Gulls in the same view: 2 adults, two 1st-winter birds.
Absolutely great day. NOW is the time to find the rarest species.
cheers
Jen
Jen Brumfield
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North Canton, OH
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