Greetings... Jay Stenger reported a first-winter lesser black-backed gull
from Brookville Lake Saturday evening, details below.

Take care,
---Mike Busam
West Chester

"Date: Saturday, November 13, 2004
Location: Summit Lake SP & Brookville Res.
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: 14 participants Audubon/CBC field trip
Fourteen participants of the joint Audubon Society/Cincinnati Bird Club
field trip today to Indiana's Summit Lake State Park and Brookville
Reservoir, enjoyed mild temperatures, sunny skies and excellent birding.
Trip highlights included Lesser Black-backed Gull, Tundra Swan, Surf
Scoters, Sandhill Cranes and Bald Eagle.
A first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Brookville Reservoir,
Franklin County Indiana, from 3:00 to 3:15 pm on the west and north side of
the Fairfield Causeway. We viewed the bird from the public parking/picnic
area just at the west end of the causeway looking north. The bird was first
seen as it rested on the shore of the Fairfield Marina in the company of
Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls. The bird eventually flew and gave us
decent looks from that perspective. The bird eventually flew off to the
south where we lost sight. While we were never very close to the bird, with
good optics and lighting, we were able to clearly see the birds defining
characteristics. To reach this spot from Brookville Indiana, follow Indiana
Rt 101 north to Causeway Rd., which is the first road north of the entrance
to the Mounds Recreation Area. Turn left on Causeway Rd and follow it across
the lake. Upon crossing the lake, immediately turn right into the gravel
parking area (DeLorme Indiana Atlas, page 47, 9E). While we did lose sight
of this gull, there were many gulls in the general vicinity and room for
optimism that the bird is still in the area. It's dark mantle and fairly
large size did make it conspicuous."