New Year's Eve Day Ohio run

Well, there is only one day left in 2015 . . . and I have some time off . . . and the weather is dry . . . and there are some rarities showing up north . . . so off to races we go for the last day of BigYear2015

Let's try one more time at that rare Code 4 Kelp Gull that's been seen off/on on Springfield Lake in Akron. We tried on Dec 13th to see the gull on roost at daybreak, and no luck that day. It had taken off for flight before daybreak. And sure enough, we got there again before daybreak, but by the time it was light enough to see, the Kelp Gull was not seen. So he remains elusive.  But we did see 2 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls for new first of year birds(FOYs).

By 8am, we where on the move north to a Medina County farmhouse on Remsen Road next to Allardale Park. Why?? Because since 12/28 a very rare Eurasian species called a . . . .

Brambling Lifer # 573

Brambling: A Eurasian species, common but irregular as a migrant in the Bering Sea region, including the Aleutians; casual in fall and winter in southern Alaska; accidental south to Canada and northwestern U.S. states. My father Buddy saw this bird on 5/18/1980 on Attu Island, Aleutain chain AK

Here is a great link about this bird being seen in Ohio.
http://www.cleveland.com/neobirding/index.ssf/2015/12/history_repeats_itself_for_2nd.html

American Tree Sparrow(left)

Also there at the farm house feeders, another FOY . . .

Purple Finch, male

PUFI with Goldfinch

 

2 FOYs down and an amazing lifer!!! Now off to the lake for some ducks & more gulls!!

We stopped by Sims Park in Euclid, OH looking for reports of the female King Eider  . . . but could not locate it. Even with 3 other birders showing up, still a miss.
So then we drove down to Cleveland and Burke Lakefront Airport, looking for Snowy Owls on the runways, but could find any white blobs, so another year bird miss.  But then we get reports from the OH listserv, gulls over at Whiskey Park/Coast Guard station. So we are off!!

Very famous bird place on Lake Erie

This is where you go if you want to practice birding if you where in Alaska.  Lots of winds, little shelter, lots of birders with scopes, starting at hundreds/thousands of gulls, looking for that one or two different gull with underside wings in blackish, or gulls with Red legs and bill . . . .

Black-headed Gull #574

see red bill pointing down?

on right, just legs and bill

A common gull of the Old World, Black-headed Gull is a rare, but regular visitor to eastern North America. Rare Code 3 bird in ABA, but seen more regularly. Again, Buddy saw this bird in breeding plumage on Attu in 1980.

 

So not a bad finish to the day. I ended up with 30 total species, 4 FOYs, with 2 Life Birds, both rare ABA Code 3's.  Very nice and thank you Ohio for being such a good state again.

My grandparents Red&Louise have never seen the Brambling, but do have BHGUL in 1982-84 when they too went to Alaska. 

Next up:   BigYear 2015 year in review.  How many? What places? Lifers? What's next?