Hello All,

Forgive me for posting to 3 listservs at once; I spent almost 3 hours in 0 F wind chill late this afternoon, and I have been researching gulls for an hour and a half, too...

First, the possible Kelp Gull. I am still researching this. I hadn't planned on going back to Ohio to look for this bird today, but I got the itch, and it is only going to get colder, so I layered up and went out in the squalls. The bird wasn't where I left it at the locks, so I worked my way north and I found what I think was the bird at Warrenton Inlet at Rayland (making it a new Ohio bird, if confirmed). I got a few backlit photos that are moderately bad. The sun didn't come out until I scoped the bird, and it didn't go away. However, during a re-warming stretch in the car, something spooked the gulls, and they lifted off and The Gull departed, leaving me with hundreds of ring-bills.

I relocated the gull upriver from the dam on the return trip. I saw it flying around from 3/4 of a mile, but thought I was seeing the single window spot on the wings with the scope. I moved upriver and located it and took a handful of so-so photos. Finger-numbing wind chill and the wind shake made clear digiscoped photos impossible. I saw the bird flex it's wings and also take off and land a couple of times, and I saw the P10 window very clearly. The bird was so clearly smaller than the Great Black-backed Gulls around it... well, nearby. At Warrenton and on the river both, it associated with ring-bills and Herrings only. The GBBGs tended to be in 2s and 3s.

The only things bothering me are comparing my photos and the photos of the Pittsburgh bird. The shapes and sizes are identical. The eye on mine seems darker, and a couple of feathers seem a little more fresh, but who knows if the bird is molting any feathers over 2 weeks. The other thing is the legs, which in photos don't look pink, but don't look as washed out olive-yellow and they looked in the scope. But bad photos... who knows... I spent 3 hours out there and saw NO birders, though. Where you all at???

OTHER BIRDS:

Glaucous Gull - at least one - I can't remember where I found it/one first, but after the sun set, I saw it/another one VERY easily in the group, without looking at all. It just appeared

Iceland Gull - 1, possibly 2

Long-tailed Duck - along the Ohio side; female, very mottled, in the company of 3 Common Goldeneye

Bald Eagle - adult, as soon as I showed up at the dam

Common Mergansers (6-8); Ruddy Duck (1); Black Duck (6); Eastern Bluebird; Carolina Wren(!); continuing Gr. & L. Scaup group

***ALSO - During my first scope of the ledge at the base of the lock, I was surprised by 4 birds working the waterfront around the Ring-billed Gulls basking there that looked like starlings. Only, they were too big, but not quite RB Gull size. They had small heads, little bills, short legs and were full-chested. They looked and acted JUST like Fish Crows, which I've always suspected should be working there way down from Pittsburgh, where a buddy and I discovered them in 2004. I am 99% sure they were FICRs, but wasn't able to get a photo due to cold, wind and a sudden snow squall that spooked them away. Everyone, keep your eyes open for those, too.

Ryan Tomazin - Bridgeville, PA                                          
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