On my fifth trip to Ashtabula over nearly ten weeks, I finally saw the Black-tailed Gull that has been wintering there.  The bird was seen from the picnic pavilion in Lakeshore park (see very detailed directions and information at http://northnw.wordpress.com/bt-gull/).  With nearly 30 hours in the field looking before today, the bird seemed a bit too easy as it showed itself on the near blue warehouse within 5 minutes of my arrival.  From about 9:00 am until just after 10:00 am, when I left, the bird was never too far from the left side of the trough in between the two sloped roofs of the building.  At one point, a first or second year Bald Eagle flew over and scattered the gulls but the Black-tailed returned within about ten minutes.  The lengthy presence of the gull offered great opportunities for study.  
Four other expected gull species were seen today: Herring, Ring-billed, Great Black-backed (2-3) and Bonaparte’s (1).  A Great Blue Heron worked the rocks near the boat launch below the pavilion and there were many Common and Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbor below the park.  
I stopped at the cement bridge east of the park before leaving but was unsuccessful in finding a Snowy Owl.  An early Turkey Vulture soared over I-90 just east of Ashtabula on my trip home.
Good birding.
Tim Colborn
North Olmsted, OH

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