Drops of Beauty #143
October 20, 2023
Hello friends! October is (the start of) gull season here so today we are celebrating all things gulls. Ok, today and probably for a while to come! What’s not to love about these beautiful birds?
Let’s start with the BIG guy, a juvenile herring gull. There are bigger gulls but they rarely (RARELY) make an appearance here. The juvenile birds are particularly lovely with their beautiful feathered patterns. Here is one coming in for a landing:
From the largest to the smallest - and the middle because the tiny Bonaparte’s gull decided to pose with the ring-billed gull. Ring-billed gulls are our most common gulls, good size flocks usually stay here all winter. The little Bonaparte’s gulls just pass through though and they are one of my favorites with their delicate wings and pink legs. This one is showing you just how much attitude he has, he seemed to think he could win the “king of the buoy” battle with a ring-billed gull. You have to give him bonus points for the effort even if he was unsuccessful!
Last but DEFINITELY not least we have the Franklin’s gulls. They come through in the largest numbers on really lucky days. I’ve already seen 3000+ in a single morning (more videos coming soon!). They are slightly bigger than the Bonaparte’s gulls and smaller than the ring-billed gulls. They also seem to be the quietest gulls as I don’t really hear a lot of noise from them!
And let’s not leave out our most common friends, the ring-billed gulls. Here too the juveniles have the most amazing patterns:
So much more to come soon! Take care of yourselves friends and may beauty find you wherever you are.
Growing up and living in Florida, I've been acquainted with gulls all my life, and my attitude towards them was pretty much, Meh... But your photos and explanations have taught me so much about them that I see and appreciate them in a whole new light! Thank you!
If there was ever a time when we need life-sustaining beauty, surely it is now, in the face of some of the current world news. Thank you Karen for both seeing this beauty and sharing it.