I arrived at Burke Airport after 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 21. I
delayed my departure from Cincinnati due to the winter storm warning.
However, when the storm did not show up as predicted, I headed north,
planning to turn around if the weather got bad. I was lucky, because
the storm arrival was delayed.
At Burke Airport between 2:30 and 3:00 pm, I got a very distant view of
the Snowy Owl in the northeast corner on one of the dirt piles behind
the large earthmoving equipment. I first found it from Gate 9 by
scanning with my telescope from a higher location on the entrance ramp
to I-90. Then I was able to find it again from Gate 12. Later at about
5:00 pm, another birder and I looked for the bird, but could not find
it.
At E 72nd Street between about 3:15 and 4:45 pm, I found one Iceland
Gull (first winter?), one Glaucous Gull (first winter), one Thayer's
gull (first winter) and four different Lesser Black-backed Gulls (3
adult winter plumaged birds, and one apparent first year plumage
changing to second year with grey coming in on the back with and all
black bill). The Thayer's Gull disappeared, but I found the same bird
or a second Thayer's in the same plumage at the marina east of the hot
water outlet at E.72nd Street.
Due to the winter storm warnings for Saturday night in the Cleveland
area, I stayed overnight in Cleveland and birded the same area Sunday
morning. The storm was rain on the east side of Cleveland on Saturday
night, but lake effect snow started early Sunday morning. Viewing
conditions were variable but generally poor at Burke on Sunday morning.
I didn't find the Snowy Owl again. However, there was a first winter
Glaucous Gull in the marina just east of Burke visible from the marginal
road.
Jay
Jay G. Lehman
Cincinnati, OH
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