Howdy birders, This morning (12/30) we, along with 1-2 dozen other birders, were at Springfield Lake hoping for the Kelp Gull that was reported to have flown in last night. It didn't take long to spot a very suspicious gull at first light; it was VERY dark mantled, with a completely clean white head, etc. In fact, we thought surely it was the Kelp Gull and we assumed that this was the bird reported last night as well. It stayed on the water for quite a while during which time most of the crowd dispersed. At 8:12 AM, the bird got up with many of the gulls, circled, and flew south. However, it was during that flush that a couple of us had our suspicions confirmed; it was a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL and NOT the Kelp Gull! Several of us managed photos and they show several fieldmarks that confirm it as Great Black-backed. First, there is white on the tips of both P9 and P10, visible in these photos (Kelp Gull only has a small, isolated mirror on P10): https://flic.kr/p/BH69jU https://flic.kr/p/CxiE2e Secondly, you can see the leg and feet color in this photo and they're PINK (not yellow like a Kelp): https://flic.kr/p/CEB1sH During much of the day, we've been seeing eBird reports coming in from this morning that claim this as a Kelp Gull. Sadly, other than 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, there were no other dark-mantled gulls present. Please, if you were there or know someone that was, be advised that the Kelp Gull was NOT present this morning. There are at least 3 birders that have posted photos from this morning that confirm it wasn't the Kelp (their checklists are publicly viewable in eBird). Similarly, I would be very curious to see photos of the bird reported as Kelp last night but have yet to see any. Anyway, hopefully the real Kelp will return soon! In the meantime, be on a keen lookout for this Kelp look-alike and be sure to study and get proof of the fieldmarks! Good birding, Cory Gregory & Ashley Casey https://www.flickr.com/photos/23836012@N02/ ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]