All comments and discussions received branded the Kirtland Bird Club's/Ohio Ornithological Society's 'Gull Symposium' as a very successful venture. I regret that I, personally, could not attend the day's workshops. I caught the tail-end by greeting the masses at the lakefront for some real-life gulling. It was most fun to see 'you' - 'you' including about 100 or more coat-clad birders stationed at the shores of E. 72nd and E. 55th. Though ice was few and far between (except on the roadsides), the gulls "still outnumbered the birders" as Larry Rosche put it best. Fazio and I discussed the lack of ice vs.. the congregation of large gulls - coming to the obvious agreement that had the lake been more heavily iced over, we'd have had a more massive grouping of gulls around the warm water outflow - an almost annual event that was not to be had this year - at least at this time. Those
who are eager to continue with their gull ID skills should take Fazio's
advice and, at present, perhaps venture WESTWARD in their journeys, to East Harbor and environs around the greater Cedar Point area, where he notes a larger ice shelf to be present. Regardless, we were greeted by a decent gathering of gulls, with a grand total of 7 gull species recorded for the day.

SIGHTINGS (2 p.m. - 5 p.m./ Jan 8, 2005)

As I arrived at East 72nd around 2 p.m., I met with (respectively) Ed
Pierce, Vic Fazio, and Ben Winger, for a few minutes of downtime searching. Ed had arrived first on the scene, canvassed the area and found RING-BILLED, HERRING, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS (at LEAST 280, fide Fazio), all in an assortment of age groups. He reported a single Double-crested Cormorant, a well-studied mass of Red-breasted Mergansers, and a single Common Goldeneye. We chimed in with a very distant (far break wall) group of BONAPARTE'S GULLS
(between 75 - 115...fide Rosche and Fazio). Later, participants were able to study a single 'Bonie' that came into the hotwaters for a brief flyby.

We scouts split up for more canvassing - I had previously stopped at E. 55th only to notice another grouping of at least 500 or more 'large gulls'
resting on the docks at 55th, and a group of 150 or more Ring-bills on the lawn. Pierce and party moved to check out the E. 72nd boat docks.
Soon afterward, Ben Winger and I picked up on a 'odd light gull', which,
upon a second fly-by study most obviously proved to be a 2nd yr. THAYER'S GULL. Vic took video, and stills can be seen on his site:    
aves.net/birdnews/ Thanks for the documentation Vic! The first still shows, very well, the outer webbing on the primaries, and the second still determines, more distinctly, the overall faded/wholesomely paler and washed out brown colorations of the species. What was most likely this same bird was observed again, around 4:30 by (respectively) Pogacnik, Gardella, Brumfield, and parties.

Various age groups and 'odd' plumages were studied by participants,
everything from very dark 1st year Herrings, to very washed out light 1st yr. Herrings, and a heavily streaked and marked 1st yr Great Black-Back. It was great to study the diversity of plumages. Whether or not participants immediately mastered gull identification was a moot point. All participants that I talked to were confident in their abilities to better learn 'their' gulls.

Around 4:40, a brief 'scare up' of gulls erupted at E. 55th...probably
another plane landing at Burke... A group of large gulls and about a hundred Ring-bills maneuvered over towards E. 72nd, where a very cold group of birders were still stationed in ever-present anticipation. All I remember is seeing Larry Rosche flailing his arms, jogging his way towards us, and pointing out over the waters.

'CALIFORNIA GULL' was his exclamation, and we immediately aimed our scopes and bins at the bird. Bobbing in between waves was an adult winter Cal-gull, which was studied very well for about a half hour or more.

With ice and slush coagulating very nicely within my boots and freezing my ankles and shins, and cold wind searing my cheeks to a tomato color, I thought it best to head out. I briefly stopped at E.55th, where another regiment of birders were holding their ground against the fading light. Shively, Whan, and party (respectively) had scopes aimed on a HERRINGXGREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, and later found a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. They brought the count to 7 species of gulls - and actually, if you want to be really gull-crazy for a moment...Seven and a HALF species of gulls!

Good to see you, good to meet you, and good birding to you all -
Jen Brumfield

Larry Rosche and Tom Bartlett
 

Vic Fazio and Chip Weseloh and
the rest of the group for as far as you can see.

And a BIG THANKS to the following volunteers
who helped to make this event a success!