ML128778651

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Continuing first winter American Mew Gull. Previously well described by others. Busy bird... moving around cove constantly. Harassed a Ring-billed Gull on shore and tried to kleptoparasitize Buffleheads feeding in the lobster pound. Mew Gull would try to snag food items from the Buffleheads as they surfaced from a dive. Didn't see any success with this attempted feeding method. Also watched it daintily picking very small food items from the surface of an area of upwelling in the lobster pound (aerator?). Fed in a manner similar to feeding Bonapartes Gulls (actively swimming and lunging then picking apparent inverts off the surface. Heard two different vocalizations. A short, one note contact call that sounded like a small dog yap "hew!" Other was a series of more strident alarm calls made when a Merlin landed in a nearby tree. Other gulls showed no sign of concern about the falcon, but the little Mew Gull was clearly agitated. Photos.

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

ISO

80

Focal length

5 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/3.4

Shutter speed

0.01 sec

Dimensions

739 pixels x 1065 pixels

Original file size

207.76 KB