mew gull

It was actually pretty cold that day, but the bright light and blue water sure gives a summery feel to the pics I got.

The combination of tiny bill, rounded head and large eye impart a gentle dove-like appearance in all plumages. This species is a common winter visitor to the Pacific Coast from breeding grounds in Alaska and northwestern Canada. They are unusual for a gull in that they nest in trees. Note the...

common gull

they don't call them common gull anymore. Actually not at all common where we live, so I was really glad to seem many of them during these couple of days in Normandy. Think this is a 2nd winter bird.

Meanwhile, this Mew Gull didn't bother with looking adorable, just flew to the front and grabbed the treats before they reached anybody else.

I don't recall the temperature that day, but it must have been rather hot. JE549 was panting in the shade. I did report the sighting, and learned he'd been banded nearby (i.e. somewhere on the Lade peninsula) the year before.

Obviously not just ducks in the duck pond. Wherever people are feeding the ducks, the gulls are there to grab their share ... and then some. This gull is standing high on a pile of last year's reeds, on the lookout to make sure he isn't late to the feeding frenzy if any park visitors pull out a...

A Mew Gull was there too. Not bathing, but drinking.

I should perhaps also upload a shot from the cell phone, since some of those show the mixed flock of gulls hanging in our aerial wake, but those also include one of our guides and I don't like posting pics of people without their permission. So this shot will have to do to show a mere twosome of...

Who stole my towel??? Uploaded Friday night, but I might not get these posted until late Saturday. Local expat yanks group is having a picnic brunch in the morning, then I'm off for a hike in the sunny weather, and home in time for a barbecue at the neighbors'. Will post when I get home.

Nearing the end of his (or her) bath for the day.

Thought I'd finish the Mew Gull's bath series today. I have more of the other two as well. Luckily it's a long weekend.

Staying with the Spring theme, I plan on posting Spring cleaning shots through the weekend, for a whole weekend of Saturday Fun.

Like me, this onlooker seems undecided about those other two.

JF979 looked tired after his migration flight. He'd come right back to the very park where he'd been caught and banded the year before, but there were no reports of where he'd been for the winter.

I promised some splash shots for Saturday Fun this week. Here they are. Hope you find them good for a giggle.

I promised some splash shots for Saturday Fun this week. Here they are. Hope you find them good for a giggle.

And finally, I wanted to celebrate that the lens gave me such good results already from day 1. I had read that I might have to invest in a console and computer software to fine-tune the focus to my camera body, but that doesn't seem to be necessary at all |=)| And I was even able to carry the...

This young Mew Gull was sneezing. Bird flu? I kept my distance (though the 400 lens may make it seem I was close).

We weren't about to leave the bird tower. Not with Garganey ducks and a (for Norway) rare Great Egret on the lake. But apparently one pair of Mew gulls had made its nest on the roof of the bird tower and they weren't happy to have us so "close" (not that there was any way for us to get...

Another from a sunny day in juve season. The bird was on a little rise in the lawn around the botanical gardens pond. Crouching down, I was able to get pretty much eye level with it.