Gulls

Ring-billed Gull Age Progression

By |2021-10-25T05:25:02-05:00November 14th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

In February of 2011 I wrote about the age progression of Bald Eagles along with images to illustrate the ages, today I am doing the same but with Ring-billed Gulls.

An Aerial Food Fight – Gulls and a Tern

By |2017-04-25T05:17:24-05:00May 4th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Herring Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This image was taken on a breezy April morning in 2009 at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach when I saw an aerial food fight occurring over the Gulf of Mexico.

Portrait of a California Gull

By |2021-12-11T07:54:40-06:00April 5th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the past week I have seen California Gulls in breeding plumage flying to Egg Island in the Great Salt Lake with nesting material in their bills while on the north end of Antelope Island State Park.

Adult and juvenile Laughing Gulls

By |2021-08-07T03:52:10-05:00March 4th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Laughing Gulls are commonly seen at Fort De Soto County Park but novices to birding and bird watching might think they are three different kinds of gulls depending on their age and plumage.

Four Intimate Gull Portraits

By |2021-08-07T04:03:27-05:00January 25th, 2014|Categories: Birds, California Gulls, Florida, Herring Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like gulls. I especially like being able to see them up close when the opportunities arise and will take advantage of my close proximity by taking portraits of these beautiful but often disliked birds.

A Ring-billed Gull – Light on Dark

By |2016-12-07T12:10:15-06:00January 16th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ring-billed Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The day I photographed this Ring-billed Gull at Fort De Soto's north beach there were baitfish in the hundreds of thousands running just off shore and pelicans, egrets, terns and gulls were all in a feeding frenzy.

Missing Fort De Soto

By |2023-01-15T06:17:36-06:00August 7th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwits, Pinellas County, Ring-billed Gulls, Roseate Spoonbills, Semipalmated Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some days I find myself missing Fort De Soto so much it hurts, the birds I found there and the entire experience of just being there. It is just such an amazing place, how could I not miss it?

And We Have Lift Off!

By |2024-02-04T08:01:40-06:00June 30th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Herring Gulls, Horned Larks, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-shouldered Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share some bird lift off images today so I rounded up a few that showed different styles of lift offs.

Laughing Gulls in breeding and nonbreeding plumage

By |2021-08-07T03:54:27-05:00June 29th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both of these Laughing Gull images were taken at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach in Florida, the image above shows a Laughing gull in nonbreeding plumage that was taken in September of 2008.

Bathing Beauty… er… California Gull

By |2021-12-11T05:25:06-06:00June 5th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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?

Potpourri Of Birds From This Week

By |2024-03-23T06:41:48-05:00May 25th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, California Gulls, Chukars, Clark's Grebes, Davis County, Eastern Kingbirds, Forster's Terns, Lark Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Tooele County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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

Ruddy Turnstone and a Laughing Gull

By |2021-05-17T06:55:08-05:00April 18th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Five years ago today I was laying in the warm wet sands of Fort De Soto County Park's north beach as the salty water from the Gulf of Mexico soaked my skin while photographing a Ruddy Turnstone doing what they do best, turning things.

The Brine Fly Buffet begins on the Great Salt Lake

By |2022-11-11T11:16:56-06:00March 11th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brine Flies, California Gulls, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Great Salt Lake, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , |

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.

The answer to the Gull and Tern Quiz is…

By |2016-12-07T12:12:15-06:00January 28th, 2013|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gulls, Herring Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The majority of you voted for the correct answer: Juvenile Herring Gull, 1st winter Laughing Gull and Royal Tern

Gull and Tern Quiz

By |2021-08-27T12:35:15-05:00January 26th, 2013|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this image this morning while working up my post Bird images from warmer days and all at 300mm or less and thought it might make a great image for a Bird ID Quiz.

Bird images from warmer days and all at 300mm or less

By |2016-12-07T12:12:16-06:00January 26th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ghost Crabs, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers, Willets, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Gray skies, freezing temps and the inversions are beginning to get to me so I thought I would share some bird images from warmer days on Fort De Soto County Park's north beach in sunny Florida.

Goodbye 2012 – Hello 2013

By |2021-04-06T10:43:48-05:00January 1st, 2013|Categories: American Bison, American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Centennial Valley, Coyotes, Montana, Moose, Northern Harriers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, valley, western skies|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

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.

Three years ago today when it was actually Winter

By |2021-01-18T05:41:01-06:00December 6th, 2012|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three years ago today though the ground was covered in drifts of snow, the temps were below freezing, there was ice on the ponds & lakes and there was a sharp briskness to the air that can only be found in winter.

Laughing Gull White Balance Mess up and Fix

By |2016-12-07T12:12:54-06:00October 19th, 2012|Categories: Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, White Balance adjustments|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

All photographers mess up, some times it is the focus, sometimes it is not having enough shutter speed for active subjects and sometimes a dial gets bumped and when it is not noticed it can affect all the images taken after it has been changed.

Four years ago today at Fort De Soto

By |2016-12-07T12:12:55-06:00October 17th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Laughing Gulls, Reddish Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a few images taken 4 years ago today at Fort De Soto's north beach. It was not a super busy day but I did get quite a few images that I like.

Ring-billed Gull On the Wing

By |2016-12-07T12:12:56-06:00October 11th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had a bit of fun photographing this Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) at Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, I love the snowy whites these gulls exhibit in their plumage year round

Birds, Beasts and Bits About Me – My 500th Blog Post

By |2020-01-25T06:23:25-06:00October 4th, 2012|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Coyotes, Dunlins, Florida, Laughing Gulls, Little Blue Herons, Loggerhead Shrikes, Pronghorn, Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Sanderlings, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Wow, this is my 500th blog post and it has been great fun to share my images and the stories behind them. I thought I'd share a few images and bits about my thoughts on photography.

California Gull – The Chase is On

By |2021-12-11T05:17:19-06:00October 3rd, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Brine Flies, California Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

4 Years ago today when Hurricane Ike stirred things up at Fort De Soto

By |2020-01-25T05:56:45-06:00September 12th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Black Skimmers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets, Ring-billed Gulls, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Four years ago today Hurricane Ike was out in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and the waves that it generated made a strong splash at Fort De Soto County Park.

Bathing Laughing Gull in breeding plumage

By |2021-08-16T13:30:07-05:00September 2nd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this adult Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) in breeding plumage while it bathed in the shallow waters of a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto's north beach a few years ago.

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