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Post by Wetlander on Oct 19, 2009 18:54:46 GMT -8
Out not finding the bunting again today. Checked the Lagoon at lunch and found a solo Horned Lark and a couple of juncos. The Redhead Duck, C. Loon, R.H. Grebe, W.W. Scoter, N. Shoveler and Ruddy Duck are hanging in with the usual C. Geese, Am. Widgeons, Mallards and Am. Coots. A few more L. Scaup are showing up as well as a few more Buffleheads. After work went out for a bit of not finding the bunting and was surprised by a mass of birds causing a ruckus out over the lake. They were whipping back and forth across the lake, and I quickly realized why... they were pursued by 2 B. Eagles, a Peregrine Falcon and a Red-tailed Hawk. Hard to keep the bins on them, so I tried a few photos. They really had a tern look about them, with a very thin wing, but the photos seem more gull like at times, then like terns???  Boy, I need a vibration-reduction lens, big time...       |
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Post by Chris on Oct 19, 2009 21:10:26 GMT -8
They look like Ring-billed Gulls to me. However, I am not that familiar with different tern species as I have only seen one Caspian and that was years ago so I could be wrong. It must have been a sight to watch them!
I keep on looking at these photos and they do seem to look different than Ring-bills though.
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Post by Wetlander on Oct 19, 2009 21:38:06 GMT -8
Yah, I know...
The closest gull I can find in sibleys seems to be Bonapartes...
The black line along the back side of the wingtip is part of what made me think tern and the wings looked so thin... but the photos look like gulls and the tails look like gulls. Perhaps they just looked sleek like terns due to running for their lives!
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Post by Janne on Oct 19, 2009 21:57:59 GMT -8
I thought Ring-billed Gulls too, Kevin. The last photo with the bird with black wing and tail tips looks like a 1st winter bird. What a spectacle. Interesting to hear that Redtails or Bald Eagles would hunt gulls. Here's a few photos of birds you report. Common loon, adult and juvenile today about 5:30 PM in lake at west side of lagoon  Red-necked Grebe October 15 in lake at east end of lagoon  Juvenile Snow Goose Sunday, October 19th about 5 PM on north edge of lagoon  Canvasback in Rendall Beach bay today, October 19th  Redhead with American Wigeon October 11 at south edge of lagoon  White-winged Scoter really showing those white wings swimming off north side of the lagoon yesterday, October 18  And finally in my yard, not the beach front, a Slate-coloured Dark-eyed Junco on October 15, 2009.  Keep up those excellent sightings and call me by phone if you see that Snow Bunting or Lapland Longspurs down there. Neither are lifers for me but I just want a photo taken by me (and the Bunting by anyone) for my bird files. Janne Perrin Harrison Hot Springs |
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Post by Janne on Oct 19, 2009 22:06:16 GMT -8
What's going on with photo posting? Everything looked great in the preview but now the pictures are all over the place. Sorry about that.
I thought about Bonaparte's too and I actually have a photo of one from last year down in front of the resort hotel but would need to ferret it out of my files. I believe it was a first winter bird with a tail tip.
My son remarked they appeared tern like as they were fleeing for their life so the two of you had the same idea.
Janne Perrin
Harrison Hot Springs
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Post by Gord on Oct 19, 2009 22:43:43 GMT -8
Great bunch of photos! Janne, no problem! Kev, what a sight! Love the Peregrine Falcon in the first photo. Those are indeed Bonaparte's Gulls, and about 100x as many as Ive ever seen at once around here. Wow!!! What an amazing find. Something Id expect to see out off of Tswasswan Jetty or something! Keep up the good stuff out there guys! With those numbers of Bonapartes, maybe a Sabine's Gull isnt far behind.  |
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