{"id":95195,"date":"2021-09-18T04:25:54","date_gmt":"2021-09-18T10:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=95195"},"modified":"2025-08-06T09:55:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T14:55:44","slug":"franklins-gull-flying-in-a-smoky-sky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/18\/franklins-gull-flying-in-a-smoky-sky\/","title":{"rendered":"Franklin’s Gull Flying In A Smoky Sky"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Franklin’s Gull flying in a smoky sky \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I have a soft spot for gulls so when I had the opportunity two days ago to photograph this Franklin’s Gull flying in a smoky sky I was both excited and thrilled. I adore the soft calls<\/span><\/a> of individual Franklin’s Gulls and relish hearing them in flocks<\/span><\/a> of larger numbers. Franklin’s Gulls have a distinctive buoyant flight that I can make out even from a long distance.<\/p>\n

Although I do wish that the sky hadn’t been smoky when I photographed this individual I very much appreciated that the gull made an appearance on my first trip to Farmington Bay WMA after the gates were opened back up.<\/p>\n

\"LateLate summer Franklin’s Gull in flight \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Not everyone loves gulls even though they are beautiful, interesting, and at times they can be quite confiding. Sometimes they will allow close approaches which is great for bird photographers. On the wing I believe that they are as graceful as any raptor.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull flying over Farmington Bay WMA \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Franklin’s Gulls were first named Franklin’s Rosy Gulls by Sir John Richardson<\/span><\/a> after the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin<\/span><\/a>, who led an 1823 expedition in which the first specimen of Franklin’s Gull was taken. That name was used for nearly 90 years.<\/p>\n

I hope that one day soon this species will have a name that describes them instead of an honorific name<\/span><\/a>. Marsh or Prairie Gull would work because at least that describes the habitats they are found in during their breeding season. Rosy Gull might actually be better name.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull showing a pink cast on its breast \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Rosy Gull? In the spring and sometimes during the other seasons Franklin’s Gulls have a pink cast or hue to their breasts. The Franklin’s Gull I photographed two days ago had a hint of a pale blush of pink to its breast.<\/p>\n

Whatever their common name is or will be in the future I know that I will always enjoy having them in my viewfinder or watching them fly by with just my eyes. I hope to photograph a few more Franklin’s Gulls before they take wing for South America for the winter.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Franklin\u2019s Gull photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have a soft spot for gulls so when I had the opportunity two days ago to photograph this Franklin’s Gull flying in a smoky sky I was both excited and thrilled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":95173,"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":[27,1022,697,1336,26],"tags":[4004,4101,4052,4122,4329,3539,521,4330,4094,4246,4104,12304,12303,4018,6077,2315,4095],"class_list":["post-95195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-franklins-gulls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-clouds","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-franklins-gull","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-leucophaeus-pipixcan","tag-marsh","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-perched","tag-pink-breast","tag-pink-cast","tag-sky","tag-smoky-sky","tag-summer-3","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-smoky-sky-mia-mcpherson-3499.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-oLp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48366,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/09\/06\/franklins-and-ring-billed-gulls-flying-in-smoky-skies\/","url_meta":{"origin":95195,"position":0},"title":"Franklin’s and Ring-billed Gulls Flying in Smoky Skies","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I did take some nice Franklin's and Ring-billed Gull photos in flight over the water of the marshes at the refuge despite the smoky sky.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull flying in a smoky sky","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4594,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/05\/franklins-gulls-feeding-frenzy\/","url_meta":{"origin":95195,"position":1},"title":"Franklin’s Gulls ~ Feeding Frenzy","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year while I was camping and photographing at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge I saw a feeding frenzy that involved Franklin's and California Gulls in the flooded grasses and Sagebrush flats near the Lower Lake.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull in flight","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48940,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/14\/franklins-gulls-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":95195,"position":2},"title":"Franklin’s Gulls at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Franklin's Gulls are only here in northern Utah during the breeding season, during the winter they spend their time along the west coast of South America.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Franklin's Gull on the wing, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/franklins-gull-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-6690.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/franklins-gull-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-6690.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/franklins-gull-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-6690.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/franklins-gull-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-6690.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":95195,"position":3},"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":115595,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/03\/franklins-gull-images-better-late-than-never\/","url_meta":{"origin":95195,"position":4},"title":"Franklin’s Gull Images – Better Late Than Never","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 3, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I took these Franklin's Gull images at Farmington Bay WMA nearly a year ago. I suppose it's better late than never to share the photos with you all today.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull swallowing a fish, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/franklins-gull-pond-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/franklins-gull-pond-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/franklins-gull-pond-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/franklins-gull-pond-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56437,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/06\/early-franklins-gull-at-bear-river-mbr-on-march-6-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":95195,"position":5},"title":"Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I\u2026","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":"Early Franklin's Gull at Bear River MBR - March 6, 2018, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.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\/95195","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=95195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}