Chirps and Cheeps

Shortly after I got there, Alec quickly picked out the special gull in a group of Ring-billed, Herring, and Bonaparte's Gulls where there must have been a school of fish.  The gulls and a great number of Double-crested Cormorants were in the middle of a feeding frenzy.  And every once in awhile, the black undersides of the Little Gull's wings could be seen as the small gull dove in and out of the group of birds feeding on the fish.

Eventually, the frenzy subsided and the beautiful Little Gull left to continue its pattern of feeding up and down the canal.  At times, it would come quite close to the cement wall where it was nearly possible to reach out and touch it.  I got my camera and had a very fun time taking photos of that beauty!

In case you haven't heard of a Little Gull, this gull is truly the smallest gull in the world and most commonly found in Eurasia.  Although there are records of Little Gulls breeding on the Great Lakes, it would be rare to see a breeding adult here in Western New York.  A breeding adult Little Gull has a striking blackish head, or hood.  At the time of year when we see an adult (usually late fall through early winter), the adult has a small black mark by its ear and a small dark cap, or "smudge", on the top of its head.  The Little Gull's bill is black and its legs are an orange/red.  Young Little Gulls have a dark "M" across their back that can be seen in flight.  They often tend to associate with Bonaparte's Gulls, which are more common here in Western New York.

Enjoy the photos - and imagine me trying to keep steady, keep my camera steady, and keep a focus on that dippy, diving, small gull out in gale force winds!