{"id":31354,"date":"2015-10-30T05:43:13","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T11:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=31354"},"modified":"2025-06-22T15:36:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T20:36:41","slug":"california-gull-portrait-in-falling-rain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/10\/30\/california-gull-portrait-in-falling-rain\/","title":{"rendered":"California Gull portrait in falling rain"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull portrait in falling rain – Nikon D810, f9, 1\/250, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I photographed this California Gull back in May on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a> in falling rain and like the streaks of rain in the frame. This was taken not long after I got to the island near the visitor center when I still had low light to deal with because of thick clouds overhead. Later on the light became much better and I spent most of the morning photographing Western Kingbirds<\/span><\/a> attempting to build a nest.<\/p>\n

I like gulls even if other people think they are “trash birds” and won’t stop to take images of them. I think they are graceful in flight, have beautiful plumage and although at times their calls can be annoying I find their behavior fascinating especially when they are trying to catch brine flies here along the shore of the Great Salt Lake. Besides, common birds can be uncommonly beautiful if given the chance.<\/p>\n

It is said that California Gulls saved the early Mormon pioneers when a plague of crickets were destroying all their crops and the ravenous gulls devoured the crickets and saved the crops. Without the sustenance those crops provided the pioneers may have perished. I wonder what Utah would be like today without those gulls being the heroes. There is even a monument dedicated to the California Gulls<\/span><\/a> in Salt Lake City. I have heard that this story was pure fabrication.<\/p>\n

Doesn’t matter to me, I still like the gulls.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

I photographed this California Gull back in May on Antelope Island State Park in falling rain and like the streaks of rain in the frame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":149203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,520,1022,26],"tags":[4004,4053,4229,4333,4142,11978,3539,521,4230,156,4046,4501,165],"class_list":["post-31354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-california-gulls","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-brine-fly","tag-california-gull","tag-close-up","tag-desert-island","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-larus-californicus","tag-low-light-2","tag-portrait","tag-rain","tag-spring"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-rain-mia-mcpherson-4729.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-89I","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":119650,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/13\/california-gull-a-misnamed-gull-species\/","url_meta":{"origin":31354,"position":0},"title":"California Gull – A Misnamed Gull Species","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As I photographed a winter California Gull at my local pond two days ago, I thought about how these gulls are a misnamed species for the umpteenth time.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Portrait of a California Gull calling in spring, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/california-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-2671.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/california-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-2671.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/california-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-2671.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/california-gull-calling-mia-mcpherson-2671.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14698,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/05\/portrait-of-a-california-gull\/","url_meta":{"origin":31354,"position":1},"title":"Portrait of a California Gull","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Portrait of a California Gull, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-filaree-mia-mcpherson-3366.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-filaree-mia-mcpherson-3366.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-filaree-mia-mcpherson-3366.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-filaree-mia-mcpherson-3366.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13782,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/01\/25\/four-intimate-gull-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":31354,"position":2},"title":"Four Intimate Gull Portraits","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 25, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","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":"Peaceful Laughing Gull portrait, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-portrait-mia-mcpherson-5874.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/laughing-gull-portrait-mia-mcpherson-5874.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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portrait on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-9359.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-9359.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-9359.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-adult-mia-mcpherson-9359.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43356,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/05\/comparing-adult-ring-billed-and-california-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":31354,"position":4},"title":"Comparing Adult Ring-billed and California Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 5, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"For most of the year Ring-billed and California Gulls are some of the most common gulls here in northern Utah and for some people it might be challenging to tell them apart.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-billed Gull taking an early morning stroll, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ring-billed-gull-breeding-mia-mcpherson-7689.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ring-billed-gull-breeding-mia-mcpherson-7689.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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