{"id":119542,"date":"2024-01-06T04:40:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-06T11:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=119542"},"modified":"2024-11-14T18:13:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T00:13:38","slug":"herring-gull-in-flight-close-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/06\/herring-gull-in-flight-close-up\/","title":{"rendered":"American Herring Gull In Flight Close Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three years ago today, I drove the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR alone. One of the birds I photographed that winter morning was this close-up adult American Herring Gull in flight.<\/p>\n

\"WinterWinter American Herring Gull in flight close up \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I get excited in the winter in northern Utah because during this time period, I get to see and photograph gulls that are not here year-round. Gulls are birds that some people love to hate, and they are birds that some bird photographers will pass by nearly every time they see them.<\/p>\n

I’m not one of those people or photographers; I never have been, and I never will be. For me, gulls are every bit as much fun and fascinating to see and photograph as raptors, owls, hummingbirds, shorebirds, waders, or colorful little warblers.<\/p>\n

\"CloseClose up Golden Eagle in flight \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m pretty much unbiased when it comes to birds in my viewfinder; I love them all. I will and do photograph them all.<\/p>\n

To my eyes, the American Herring Gull in the photo above is every bit as gorgeous as this close up of a Golden Eagle I found and photographed in February of 2020. Your opinion may vary.<\/p>\n

Mine won’t.<\/p>\n

American Herring Gulls<\/b><\/h2>\n

American Herring Gulls are only in Utah during the coldest months of the year, which means that right now should be a great time to find them out in the wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

This species is also often found in the marshes and wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA, or at least they used to be easy to find there.<\/p>\n

The rampant changes that are happening at Farmington Bay and Bear River MBR might affect the visits of this species at those locations.<\/p>\n

I’m hoping that within the next few weeks I’ll have American Herring Gulls in my viewfinder again in northern Utah.<\/p>\n

I used to see and photograph American Herring Gulls during the winter in Florida when I lived there and I enjoyed them there. I know that I’d photograph these gulls anywhere I can find them.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my American Herring Gulls photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three years ago today, I drove the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR alone. One of the birds I photographed that winter morning was this close-up adult Herring Gull in flight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1299,124,27,1148,1200,26],"tags":[4004,1589,2663,4142,3903,3133,4052,4122,3539,521,4064,4317,4094,4246,153,3996,4095,373,5480],"class_list":["post-119542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-herring-gulls","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-golden-eagles","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-herring-gull","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-close-up","tag-eagle","tag-eagles","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-ice","tag-larus-smithsonianus","tag-marsh","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-raptors","tag-water","tag-wetlands","tag-winter","tag-winter-plumage"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/herring-gull-winter-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-4464.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-v66","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":136849,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/11\/15\/my-arkansas-american-herring-gull-sighting\/","url_meta":{"origin":119542,"position":0},"title":"My Arkansas American Herring Gull Sighting","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This past week, I had my first ever Arkansas American Herring Gull sighting. I was outdoors when several of these gulls were high overhead, too high for photos.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Herring Gull in nonbreeding plumage flying by, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-flight-over-ice-mia-mcpherson-0716.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-flight-over-ice-mia-mcpherson-0716.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-flight-over-ice-mia-mcpherson-0716.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-flight-over-ice-mia-mcpherson-0716.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":107838,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/11\/08\/winter-california-and-herring-gull-comparison-in-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":119542,"position":1},"title":"Winter California And American Herring Gull Comparison In Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I frequently get asked which is which I thought this would be a good time to do a winter California and American Herring Gull comparison and ID feature post.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Herring Gull - California Gull Comparison and ID Features, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/herring-california-gull-winter-adult-comparison-mia-mcpherson-0305.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/herring-california-gull-winter-adult-comparison-mia-mcpherson-0305.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/herring-california-gull-winter-adult-comparison-mia-mcpherson-0305.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/herring-california-gull-winter-adult-comparison-mia-mcpherson-0305.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":77626,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/01\/11\/first-winter-herring-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":119542,"position":2},"title":"First Winter American Herring Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently wrote about my excitement that American Herring Gulls have started showing up in northern Utah. Last week I was able to photograph some of them.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"First winter American Herring Gull on ice, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/herring-gull-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-4475.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/herring-gull-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-4475.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/herring-gull-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-4475.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/herring-gull-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-4475.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42938,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/11\/01\/herring-gulls-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":119542,"position":3},"title":"American Herring Gulls in Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"We do see Herring Gulls in northern Utah during the winter and I was able to photograph this one as it circled over the water with the snow-covered Promontory Mountains and sky behind it.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Herring Gull flying over Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-flight-utah-mia-mcpherson-8261.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-flight-utah-mia-mcpherson-8261.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-flight-utah-mia-mcpherson-8261.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-flight-utah-mia-mcpherson-8261.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":78537,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/01\/29\/winter-adult-herring-gull-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":119542,"position":4},"title":"Winter Adult American Herring Gull Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I am sharing two winter adult Herring Gull photos that I took earlier this month from the auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alert adult American Herring Gull in winter, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-adult-winter-marsh-mia-mcpherson-4545.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/herring-gull-adult-winter-marsh-mia-mcpherson-4545.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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