I appreciate being able to appreciate a common bird in an uncommon setting. *Ring-billed Gulls* are essentially absent at Ken Caryl Valley, just within the hogbacks but not far from Ring-billed territory at places like Chatfield and Hine Lake. But location is everything, right? I've lived in Ken Caryl Valley since 2014 and I've only seen a Ring-billed once before -- a single bird at So. Valley Park in April 2014 (another eBird record from there has an incorrect location for the checklist). They simply don't range over the hogbacks to the foothills here. My only other gull records from Ken Caryl are also three spring records - once for CAGU and twice FRGU. So gulls are rare here.
This evening at 5:00 pm I walked out front and looked up to see a flock of gulls gleaming in the setting sun. It was about 50 minutes before sunset, and they were Ring-billed Gulls. But not just one or two and not just passing over -- It was a flock and they were feeding in the air over my home! Over the next 35 minutes there were about 170 Ring-billed Gulls that came over in groups from the south. And there were also 2 *Bonaprte's Gulls* feeding with them at one point. They were flying at a relaxed rate and meandering around turning their heads to grab flying things which I never could see, maybe 300-500 feet overhead. But their flight behavior and head action made it clear they were all foraging. It was a lovely day, and 72 degrees at sunset tonight. I don't recall Ring-billeds foraging in flight like that near my home region, and what could they be finding up there before sunset on Nov 5? So two new yard birds - # 185 and 186 for my home list. Otherwise my yard birds are sort of at a record ebb for all but corvids. David suddjian Ken Caryl Valley Littleton CO -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAGj6RoqS%2BUM_iwi%3DykDs7qrkxJnHLOQOLdPnFySJ6_JHtih1zw%40mail.gmail.com.
