California Gulls

Bathing Beauty… er… California Gull

By Mia McPherson, on June 5th, 2013%

California Gull bathing

Okay, I admit it. I think gulls are beautiful and this California Gull sure looked that way bathing! Look at those bright white feathers, the dark sparkling eyes rimmed in red, the darker contrasting gray feathers, the color and shape of the bill. What’s not to like about that?

Lifting up

Yeah, I know. Some folks think they are trash birds. I don’t. I think they have grace when they are in flight, on the beach or bathing like this one was.

Fluttering California Gull

I sort of agree their calls can be loud and harsh but they aren’t always calling. Yeah, they frequent dumps but I reckon we sort of gave them those dumps because there weren’t any for the eons that came before humans arrived in North America. Yeah, they scavenge but so do Bald and Golden Eagles and who hates them?

California Gull shaking the water off its wings

I had fun photographing this California Gull, it was interesting to watch it bathe to see the various poses it took and the wing positions that I saw. This pose reminds me of the one Kate Winslet had when she portrayed Rose DeWitt Bukater on the bow of the Titanic. I’ve never seen the movie by the way but I am familiar with the iconic scene from the Titanic with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

One final flutter

But I digress… This was a puddle in a dirt road that the gull bathed in, it only existed because of the rains we’d had for a few days before I took this series of the gull bathing. It is bone dry now though.

Just how goofy can I look for the photographer?

And who can resist goofy bird images? I can’t and this is a pretty goofy looking image. I didn’t know a gull’s head could twist that far.

A drink of water after a bath

After the gull was done bathing it took a few drinks from the puddle before it flew away. Yes, it was a bathing beauty.

Mia

*If you are seeing this message it means I am still away, please feel free to share this post with your family and friends, I’d appreciate it. Thanks for stopping by!

Potpourri of Birds from this week

By Mia McPherson, on May 25th, 2013%

Chukar on Antelope Island

It was a busy week and I did take tons of images from Antelope Island, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County and yesterday in Tooele County. On Antelope Island the Chukars were up calling on the rocks or foraging in the grasses near Sagebrush. This one perched on a rock that had water in the background that was a brilliant blue.

California Gull

After some much needed rain there were a few puddles in areas of the island and this California Gull was taking full advantage of having fresh water available for a bath. In my opinion that is a pretty handsome looking bird with its head held tall and its wings spread.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was hopping with activity, the male Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds seemed to be calling all over the auto tour route. The wind was blowing while this male was perched on the Phragmites stalk, it was like trying to photograph a bird on a long, thin spring the way it bounced around in the wind. I dumped quite a few images into my delete bin because of that wind & less than sharp images.

Clark’s Grebe

Clark’s Grebes were also a highlight, who couldn’t appreciate these striking Grebes with their black and white plumage, cherry red eyes, sharp bill, curvy neck and black cap? I sure enjoy watching and photographing them especially during this time of the year when they are defending their territories. One never knows when the action might start!

Eastern Kingbird

I was tickled to see both Western and Eastern Kingbirds at the refuge, their chattering makes me want to giggle. I couldn’t tell what this Eastern Kingbird was chattering at, maybe there was another bird outside of my field of view. At any rate, I think that both kingbird species are dapper looking birds.

Forster’s Tern

Forster’s Terns were making their presence on the refuge known as they cruised over the fresh water impoundment in search of prey and making spectacular dives when they located it. With a black cap and black eyes it can be a challenge to get a catch light in their eyes and in this frame I was delighted to have such great light.

Lark Sparrow

Tooele County offered fine feathered friends too, like this handsome Lark Sparrow perched on rusty old barbed wire. Normally I prefer natural perches but there is something about rusty barbed wire that appeals to me.

Mourning Dove

It seem to me that the Mourning Dove population has blossomed this spring, I am seeing them in high numbers in places I normally don’t see many. This dove was perching along side a road on a well weathered fence post in the early morning light.

These are but a few of the birds I photographed this week in various Utah locations and all of them made great subjects!

Mia

The Brine Fly Buffet begins on the Great Salt Lake

By Mia McPherson, on March 11th, 2013%

First of the year Brine Flies

Yesterday while near the marina on Antelope Island State Park I spotted my first of the year Brine Flies warming up on some of the rocks in the water. You might wonder “why” am I so excited about flies?

It is because I know how many birds feast on the little buggers! If the brine flies are out it won’t be long before the shorebirds that eat them arrive. Last week there was ice on this water, how quickly things change. The image above was taken yesterday.

California Gull in a thick mass of Brine Flies

This image was taken last year when the brine flies were thick, all of those little dark dots in the air, on the rocks and in front of the California Gull are Brine Flies. With billions of them in just a small area it is easy to see why the birds that devour them like the area of the Great Salt Lake. The California Gulls are already here and they appear to be eating the flies along the causeway.

Franklin’s Gull with Brine Flies

It won’t be long before the first of the Franklin’s Gulls arrive too and for a short time the Bonaparte’s Gulls will feast on the flies too before heading further north. All those dark flecks on the water? Brine Flies.

California Gull with Brine Flies in flight

I do get excited about seeing the first Brine Flies because I know that their presence brings on the birds and the feeding frenzies that follow!

Mia

Goodbye 2012 – Hello 2013

By Mia McPherson, on January 1st, 2013%

A Look Back At 2012

2012 was a fantastic year for me as a photographer and I am looking forward to the joys that 2013 will bring. Happy New Year to all.

Mia

California Gull – The Chase is On

By Mia McPherson, on October 3rd, 2012%

While my mother was visiting Utah she was able to see how California Gulls chase and feed on Brine Flies, it is fascinating feeding behavior. As my mom watched, I photographed.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 1

The gull starts out standing on the edge of the Great Salt Lake. The Brine Flies can bee seen in this image floating on the hyper saline lake surface.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 2

Then it begins to run and the Brine Flies lift off from the sand and water surface. All of the brown colored specks on the shoreline are the pupal casings of the Brine Flies.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 3

As the gull gains momentum it lifts its wings and more flies take to the air…

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 4

Then the gull starts to catch the flies by opening and closing its bill as it runs along.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 5

The Brine Flies fan out in an undulating wave in front of the gull as it races along snatching them from the air

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 6

When the flies thin out in front of the bird the gull slow down

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 7

And come to a stop.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 8

The gull rests a few moments and begins chasing the Brine Flies again. This frame shows the gull a little further from the shoreline and the flies lifting up from the sand.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 9

Again the gull grabs the flies from the air with its bill.

California Gull feeding on Brine Flies 10

And comes to a halt again. I have no idea how many flies a California Gull catches when it runs along the shoreline, it would be interesting to know though.

All of these images were taken using my Nikon D300 with my lens resting on my Noodle, f6.3, ISO 500, with shutter speeds ranging from 1/2000 to 1/3200 and all of them were taken using natural light. These images are a challenge to create because at times the camera tries to focus on the mass of flies instead of the bird.

There are more images of California Gulls exhibiting this feeding behavior on this post titled California Gulls feeding on the Brine Flies of the Great Salt Lake.

Mia

More California Gull images