Ring-billed Gull

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

An unpleasant, windy, overcast day here today, 14 February 2018. It snowed hard for about 10 minutes, but has turned to light snow at the moment. Shortly before noon, the temperature is -7C (windchill -18C).

On 20 April 2017, I had to move my vehicle for the whole day so that the City could clean the whole area. I don't have an up-to-date street parking pass, which meant that I needed to find something to fill my day - instead of being at home, working on my Taxes! A morning walk at Carburn Park took care of around three hours - the only birds close enough for photos were an American Robin, two Franklin's Gulls, and a Canada Goose : ) Afterwards, I called in at a local wetland and photographed a Mallard, a busy Muskrat - and a Canada Goose, lol. Not a very friendly Goose, either, though he must have had a nest somewhere in the area. Hissed at me and followed me part way down the path. I had to go back along the same path to get to my car, and waited till the Goose was as far away as possible before I hurried back. There was also a Ring-billed Gull that was standing on the bridge railing, letting me take a few photos.

"Familiar acrobats of the air, Ring-billed Gulls nimbly pluck tossed tidbits from on high. Comfortable around humans, they frequent parking lots, garbage dumps, beaches, and fields, sometimes by the hundreds. These are the gulls you're most likely to see far away from coastal areas—in fact, most Ring-billed Gulls nest in the interior of the continent, near freshwater. A black band encircling the yellow bill helps distinguish adults from other gulls—but look closely, as some other species have black or red spots on the bill." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/overview