Christmas Eve morning Kyle Knapp found a single Bonaparte’s Gull on Wickham Lake. I was birding in the black dirt, so I ran over to try for the bird. The bird was still present and was obliging enough to do a relatively close fly-by. There was a good number of gulls on the lake, maybe 3 dozen or so. Nearly a dozen were Herring Gulls, which is a lot for that location. There rest were the expected Ring-billed Gulls.
Today I arrived back in Orange County after spending the holidays on Long Island with my family. I went to Newburgh Waterfront – it was a beautiful night with great light and it wasn’t nearly as cold as it’s been recently. It was mostly the usual 3 species (Herring, Great Black-backed, and Ring-billed), but I also located a single Young Iceland Gull; always a favorite. I enjoyed a pleasant evening of gulling and it was disappointing when the sun started setting.
Great pictures, Matt. No holiday nor dipping temperature could stop you! Because of the angle of the shot, that thin-looking wing span doesn’t look like it can support the robust body of the herring gull. To think that the wing span can unfurl to 50+ inches…! I’m not a birder; I just look at pictures, unaware of parameters.
I always enjoy your perspective, Norma, thanks so much for checking in. And you are a birder, even if it’s mostly by photos! Matt