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March 2015

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From:
Bill Whan <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Bill Whan <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 7 Mar 2015 18:45:29 -0500
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Brad Sparks and I saw ~3000 gulls feeding at the south slope of the
Columbus landfill mountain today about 9 am. Last winter the east slope
was active at this time. We were 300-400 yards away on Young Rd, and the
gulls were wheeling. Many thousand starlings were roosting nearby, and
there were decent numbers of crows. The vultures come later. The only
unusual observation we were able to make at that distance was of a
glaucous gull.
        Last year, similar numbers of gulls were feeding on the east slope. It
seems the gulls maintain a schedule not unlike that of the landfill
workers. They arrive in the morning, and depart at quitting time. In
between, it seems they take lengthy breaks to digest food in their
crops, and have done so by flocking on nearby fields in mid-morning, and
again in mid-afternoon not long before they return north to night roosts.
        In our experience, these gulls are easiest to observe when they form
roosts in nearby fields. We found a few of these assemblies today about
11 am, but nothing like the thousands we found last year; we did a lot
of driving around the area, but there must have been a lot of birds out
there somewhere we didn't find. There is a marshy area on the south side
of the landfill where we could barely see pretty good numbers flying in
and out, and we found a few groups of as much as a hundred in swales in
nearby cornfields. In one of these gatherings we found an adult great
black-backed gull.
        Last year there were some predictable areas where thousands of well-fed
gulls retreated to burp and cuddle. This year, we couldn't find any
worth mentioning, even though their numbers on the landfill itself were
similar. The season is ending, but it would be good to learn from
birders who know the area well and get out during the day to locate gull
gatherings away from the landfill. This cold winter has invited gulls of
many species to feed well south into Ohio, and a shrinking number of
open waters have attracted them. Landfills attract gulls too, and we
should learn how to find them.
Bill Whan
Columbus
*p.s. The landfill authority SWACO offers tours via bus, mostly to show
schoolkids about refuse treatment. I don't know anyone who's
participated in one, but it might be quite a trip!



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