{"id":6248,"date":"2012-10-03T06:01:22","date_gmt":"2012-10-03T12:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=6248"},"modified":"2025-06-22T09:31:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T14:31:39","slug":"california-gull-the-chase-is-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/10\/03\/california-gull-the-chase-is-on\/","title":{"rendered":"California Gull – The Chase is On"},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull walking among Brine Flies<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull adult running after Brine Flies on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull racing after brine flies on the shore of the Great Salt Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

As the gull gains momentum it lifts its wings and more flies take to the air…<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult California Gull scooping up Brine Flies on the shore of the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah<\/span><\/p>\n

Then the gull starts to catch the flies by opening and closing its bill as it runs along.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull feeding on Brine Flies in September<\/span><\/p>\n

The Brine Flies fan out in an undulating wave in front of the gull as it races along snatching them from the air<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull feeding on Brine Flies 6<\/span><\/p>\n

When the flies thin out in front of the bird the gull slow down<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult California Gull and Brine Flies at the Great Salt Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

And come to a stop.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult California Gull chasing Brine Flies on the shore<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull gobbling up Brine Flies at the Great Salt Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

Again the gull grabs the flies from the air with its bill.<\/p>\n

\"CaliforniaCalifornia Gull with a bill full of Brine Flies<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

All of these images were taken using my Nikon D300 with my lens resting on my Noodle<\/a><\/span>, f6.3, ISO 500, with shutter speeds ranging from 1\/2000 to 1\/3200 and all of them were taken using natural light. \u00a0These images are a challenge to create because at times the camera tries to focus on the mass of flies instead of the bird.<\/p>\n

There are more images of California Gulls exhibiting this feeding behavior on this post<\/span><\/a>\u00a0titled California Gulls feeding on the Brine Flies of the Great Salt Lake.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":149128,"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":[511,5310,520,26],"tags":[4004,5552,4021,5991,4229,4333,929,7547,4232,4231,4228,6618,4005,5314,5178,4230,7546,7545,4699,7544,7548,5498],"class_list":["post-6248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-brine-flies","category-california-gulls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-bill","tag-bird-photography","tag-brine-flies","tag-brine-fly","tag-california-gull","tag-chasing","tag-closing","tag-ephydra-cinerea","tag-ephydra-hians","tag-feeding-behavior","tag-flies","tag-great-salt-lake","tag-hypersaline","tag-lake","tag-larus-californicus","tag-opening","tag-run","tag-scoop","tag-surface","tag-undulating-wave","tag-wings"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-mia-mcpherson-6389.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1CM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3020,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/08\/31\/california-gulls-feeding-on-the-brine-flies-of-the-great-salt-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":0},"title":"California Gulls feeding on the Brine Flies of the Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 31, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago I had the opportunity to take images of California Gulls feeding on brine flies along shoreline of the Great Salt Lake next to the causeway to Antelope Island","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":"One California Gull actively feeding, the other is passively feeding on brine flies. Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/california-gull-5489-munching-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/california-gull-5489-munching-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/california-gull-5489-munching-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/california-gull-5489-munching-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53086,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/14\/great-salt-lake-brine-flies-important-food-source-for-california-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":1},"title":"Great Salt Lake Brine Flies – Important Food Source For California Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Brine flies that live in the Great Salt Lake are an important food source for California Gulls and watching the gulls feed on the flies is fascinating as they use several techniques to catch them.","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":"Adult California Gull scooping up brine flies with its bill, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-3828.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-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-3828.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-3828.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gull-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-3828.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7827,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/11\/the-brine-fly-buffet-begins-on-the-great-salt-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":2},"title":"The Brine Fly Buffet begins on the Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","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":"First of the year Brine Flies, Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-0280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-0280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-0280.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-0280.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92541,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/25\/franklins-gull-feasting-on-brine-flies\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":3},"title":"Franklin’s Gull Feasting On Brine Flies Plus News About The Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"While Franklin's Gulls are in northern Utah for their breeding season brine flies are an important food source for the adults and their young and are a part of their breeding success here in the Great Basin.","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":"Adult Franklin's Gull scooping up Brine flies at the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/franklins-gull-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/franklins-gull-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/franklins-gull-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/franklins-gull-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39116,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/02\/franklins-gull-and-laughing-gull-comparison\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":4},"title":"Franklin’s Gull and Laughing Gull Comparison","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I know this isn't a complete Franklin's Gull and Laughing Gull comparison but I'm not a scientist, just a bird photographer and bird lover.","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":"Franklin's Gull chasing Brine flies, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59431,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/08\/11\/imagine-utah-without-california-gulls\/","url_meta":{"origin":6248,"position":5},"title":"Imagine Utah Without California Gulls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Ah, Mia, it is just a bird. No, it isn't just a bird. Because California Gulls aren't the only birds at risk of disappearing from the skies, shorelines and waters of Utah.","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":"Adult California Gull chasing brine flies next to the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gulls-chasing-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-2469.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-gulls-chasing-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-2469.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gulls-chasing-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-2469.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-gulls-chasing-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-2469.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6248\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}