[CT Birds] gull gastronomy

[greg hanisek]

Re Clay's gulls and bread post:
   
  Well, bread certainly lacks aesthetic appeal. I'm no export on larid gastro-intestinal systems, but based on a misspent youth at landfills, I suspect they can digest anything. I recall a trip to Cape Ann  when I was in my 20s. One of our party was a freeholder (what they call county commissioners in NJ - or freeloader is you don't like their politics). Anyway, the county Civil Defense office, which consisted of one fanatical guy wih a pith helmet and an air raid shelter in his back yard, was going to chuck some stuff he called C rations. Basically they were some kind of cracker heavily saturated with animal fat. They were wrapped in packets of waxpaper much like saltines. The freeholder brought along a bunch to chum the gulls.
   
  We were out on a jetty and soon found we couldn't throw crackers very far into a stiff wind. Then someoe decided to crack the paper on a packet and throw the whole thing, paper and all, to get some distance. (I know, I know. Sorry. It was a different time). Anyway, not to worry. The packet hit the water and as we'd hoped burst open. As an oily slick formed, the first Herring Gull flew in and gobbled the greasy paper before even looking at the crackers.
   
  Greg Hanisek
  Waterbury
Clay Taylor <ctaylor at att.net> wrote:
  Hi all - 

I was taken to task for suggesting that we should lure in rare gulls with bread - obviously bad for them. Mea culpa.

So, bring lots of herring, and be sure to spread it below the high tide line, so you don't litter the beach.

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net 

PS - must we also rule out using popcorn for chum on pelagic trips?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Clay Taylor 
To: ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org 
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 5:07 PM
Subject: Hammonasset Beach S.P 11/23/07


Birds of note -
Northern Gannets
Cave Swallow
Lapland Longspur
interesting gull?

Hi all - 

On the way back from Guilford, I popped into Hammo to see what was happening. Wind. Cold. Winter. Yuk.

Nevertheless, I went up onto the moraine lookout (it was actually a little protected from the wind by the trees and bushes) and was treated to a Gannet Show - up to 10 birds were visible, cruising about 150 - 400 yards offshore and doing low-altitude dives into the water. As soon as one hit, a squad of gulls would fly over to it, obviously looking to steal a meal. In some of the dives, the gannet would set its wings in a curve and slowly descend toward the water, just like the way a Great Gray Owl will "parachute" down on prey in a snowy field. At an altitude of 6 or 7 feet, it would then pull in its wings and arrow into the waves. Amazing.

Offshore were numerous Common Loons, a few D.C. Cormorants, and one flying unid. scoter. I had a quick glimpse of a gull flying toward the Meigs' Pavilion (where a lady was throwing bread for the gulls) that looked VERY interesting - possibly an adult California Gull. I never got another look at it, but having just been in Stockton, CA and seeing lots of Calif. Gulls of all plumages, I did a huge double-take as it flew by. Bring bread and keep your eyes open.

There was a single Brant in the pool by the Meigs' Point parking lot, while the grass parking lot at the Meigs' Point Nature Center had 24 Horned Larks, but no longspurs. However, the grassy parking lot across form the Swan Pond had 18 larks and 2 Lapland Longspurs that obligingly posed for photos. The wind was still cranking, so they were all hunkered down feeding in the grasses. I saw very few sparrows or other passerines - they were all hiding in the bushes, I guess.

As I was driving past the Main Pavilion corner (where the Lazuli Bunting was last year) watching an adult male Northern Harrier working the marsh edge and a lone swallow flew by - whoops, a Cave Swallow! I scrambled to try and get a picture, but no joy. It looped around my car, flew past the pavilion, and I lost it behind the trees. It was always pretty low (5 to 15 feet off the ground) and flying pretty aimlessly.

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net 
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