Greetings birders - 31 intrepid birders hit the open waters of Lake Erie off of Vermilion, Huron, and Lorain today on the first Local Patch Birding pelagic of fall 2012 (8 am to 3 pm). While bird numbers were low, diversity was high and excellent. A FULL report will follow, this is brief. Two immature PARASITIC JAEGERS were found between 5.5 and 3.5 miles off Vermilion and Lorain. THREE SABINE'S GULLS (together) were viewed point blank for extended and awe inspiring views, 8.25 miles off of Vermilion. A single Red-necked Phalarope (5.5 miles out), two Black Terns (6 miles out), two Forster's Terns, and a Red-breasted Nuthatch (6 miles out) that landed on the deck hand's back (was hand caught by Ben Warner and put to rest on the protected roof of the boat, resting for 40 minutes before flying off). PHOTOS TO FOLLOW. Including point blank full frame shots of one of the Sabine's Gulls and all three in flight.

JB

Jen Brumfield
Cleveland, OH
Bird illustrator and birding tour guide
[log in to unmask]
www.jenbrumfield.com
www.northnw.wordpress.com

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]