I join the perplexed, but I have a notion of a hypothesis for gull numbers
in central Ohio.
This season may be a record winter compared with recent decades.
We have 'enjoyed' NW winds, I'm guessing, an order of magnitude more than
during the mild winters we enjoyed up until last year.
The inland reservoirs have been frozen solid (my local ones here in central
Ohio, anyway) much of the winter.
Large numbers of gulls now present are foraging on fixed wings for long
periods of time, using the breeze, over limited open water areas (and some
large open water, lately), then plunging or dipping for fish.
The successful gulls I've seen dip or plunge have scored DEAD fish.
Only a few of the small fish I have seen them take appear to be alive (I
recall only one at the moment).
The water is cold; accumulated dead fish probably are near neutral
buoyancies.
Dead fish floating in the water column would slowly rise within gull
plunge-depth, but easily get washed deep again by wave action--hence the
birds stay on wing for long periods (dead fish are not blown ashore because
they are too deep, most of the time).
The ice cover could be the reason for the fish kill (if there has been an
unusually large winter kill on reservoirs?).
Gulls attract gulls, but why would uncommon white-headed gulls leave the
Erie shores? Lack of food there?
Or, do we throw more loaves of bread in central Ohio?

Just thinking out loud,

Tom Bain
Central Ohio Clayey Till Plain
Delaware County

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