Wednesday 2 February 2011

The variation in KUMLIEN'S GULLS - a photo essay

The KUMLIEN'S GULL is highly variable with no two alike. Toronto on Lake Ontario is a great spot to study them. Here are photos of 21 different individuals photographed in late January 2011. They include adults, third and second winter birds, but only one first winter bird. Perhaps this is random due to a small sample size or was 2010 a poor breeding season because first winter birds are normally more frequent than second and third winter birds combined. See three pages of photos.

http://www.jeaniron.ca/Gulls/2011/kumbluffers.htm

Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway, Toronto and Minden, Ontario