[CT Birds] Gull Stuff 6

[Dennis Varza]

Here are some more observations on gulls. If you have any corrections
or additions I would really appreciate them.

This week seems to have been a transition period. for the gulls.  
There were no gatherings. This is to be expected if barnacle release  
at Full and New Moon. The white-winged gulls were scarce, only one  
report of 2 Iceland Gulls, no Glaucous Gulls, No Lesser Black-backed  
Gulls.The small gulls were again in low number and no rare birds.  It  
looks like the adults of the big gulls have mostly headed for the  
breeding ground resulting in smaller flocks on the beach and an  
increace in the frequency of immature gulls.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Weather (from Sikorsky Airport)
31	Monday  	Wind Average 6.4	Wind Max 15	Direction 240° (SE)
1	Tuesday 	Wind Average 11.9	Wind Max 31	Direction 310° (NW)
2	Wed-day	Wind Average 15.6	Wind Max 29	Direction 320° (NW)
3	Thusday  	Wind Average 6.3	Wind Max 17	Direction 220° (SW)
4	Friday--- 	Wind Average 10.6	Wind Max 23	Direction 80° (E)
5	Saturday	Wind Average 7.0	Wind Max 23	Direction 340° (N)
6	Sunday   	Wind Average 12.4	Wind Max 22	Direction 60° (E)

New Moon  6 April

Topic 1 Gull Gatherings

This week there were No Gatherings anywhere. There was only one  
observation large numbers of gulls.by Greg Hanisek. These were on  
shore and not out on the water. The large number of immature birds  
was very impressive. Clearly the adults are off the the breeding ground.

Greg Hanisek
7 April 2008
  Long Beach packed with gulls on all the beach sections about 1:30  
p.m. - c. 1000 Herring Gulls, 500 Ring-billed Gulls and only about 20  
Great Black-backed Gulls. The Herrings were 20% adults and the rest  
various younger ages; Ring-billeds were 80% adults; Great B-b were c  
60-40 adults-imm.


Topic 2 Small Gulls
Bonaparte’s Gulls continue to be found in small numbers, particularly  
at expected sites. By the end of the week there were no gulls to be  
seen!. Also, nearly all the birds were adults. There should be  
another wave of birds with the immatures.

Bonaparte’s Gull
2008	3	30	150	Fairfield, Southport Beach	Jim Hunter
2008	3	31	125	Fairfield, Southport Beach	Charlie Barnard
2008	4	2	35	New Haven, East Shore Pk.	Frank Mantlik
2008	4	2	175	Milford, Bayview Beach	Frank Mantlik
2008	4	2	260	Stratford, Long Beach	Frank Mantlik
2008	4	2	20	Madison, Hamm. St. Pk.	Phil Asperelli
2008	4	3	17	Milford, Oyster River	Nick Bonomo
2008	4	5	13	Milford, Oyster River	Mark Aronson
2008	4	5	65	Fairfield, Southport Beach	Dennis Varza
2008	4	6	7	Greenwich, Greenwich Pt.	Meredith Sampson
2008	4	7	12	Greenwich, Greenwich Pt.	Meredith Sampson
2008	4	7	0	Old Saybrook, Soth cove	John Ogren
I have been hitting the coves and beaches every 2-3 days at low tide
2008	4	8	0	Milford, Oyster River	Dennis Varza
2008	4	8	0	Fairfield, Southport Beach	Dennis Varza

  Black-headed Gull
No Reports

Little Gull
No reports

Topic 3 Big Gulls
It looks like the the adult gulls are off to the nesting grounds.  
With regards to Ring-billed Gulls, in the winter I would see a flock  
of 100 or so and see only one or two immatures. Now the flock are  
about 50 or so and four to five birds are immatures. A similiar thing  
seems to be true with Herring Gulls.


Topic 4 White-winged Gulls
One report this week

Iceland Gull
2008	4	3	1	1W	Bridgeport, Seaside Pk	Nick Bonomo
2008	4	3	1	1A (K)	Bridgeport, Seaside Pk	Nick Bonomo

Glaucous Gull
No Records

Lesser Black Backed Gull
the Westport Lesser Black-backed Gull was still not seen