It’s tempting to ignore Ring-Billed Gulls, especially when they return to the lakefront in great numbers every spring, but sometimes they get my attention anyway.
Second Cycle
And I have to remind myself to not assume everything is a Ring-Billed Gull…because there could be a rarer species sifted in there somewhere. Like I almost thought about this guy standing on the railing by the river a couple weeks ago…with his dark eye and grayish legs…but after checking with Gulls of the Americas, it turns out he’s a Second Cycle Ring-Billed Gull. I’ve known the adults and the first-year gulls for a long time, but this morph is new to me.
Gulls on the Chicago River
Then there are the pairs. Normally two gulls would not occupy such a precarious perch but this was definitely a piling built for two.
Gulls in Love
Springtime down by the lake, another pair taking a break together.
Gulling it up in Millennium Park
A few more Ring-Billed Gulls doing their thing. Ever vigilant.
I’ll be back soon with more spring migrants.
I like the post and the pics, Lisa. The Ring-billed Gulls have all but left here, probably at your place now, of course. I had never seen a 2nd cycle. I’ll have to watch out for one next year. I’m usually alert for an occasional tern of some type.
So that’s where they go in the winter. Aha. I’m looking for terns too. We usually get a few Caspian Terns and some Forster’s. There are reports of both on the local list-serve.
photos are great..We don’t have any gulls where we live, but have always enjoyed them.
I can’t believe you have no gulls. I thought they were everywhere. You must not have any parking lots. Thanks, Syl. 🙂
That is nice to see people looking at Ring-billed Gulls. Many scientific teams, as our team, tag common gulls species, so you may see some Ring-billed Gulls with tags or bands. These sightings our very useful for us! Thank you for looking at gulls.
http://gull.uqam.ca
I like gulls so I liked this post. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment. So glad you like gulls. I do too and I sometimes miss the fun I used to have feeding them, they are so gregarious, noisy and such skillful fliers.