[CT Birds] Bonaparte's Gulls

[Dennis Varza]

Hi folks

The Boanparte's Gulls are exhibiting a change in behavior.

Yesterday, at Cove Island Park I was there at mid tide falling and I  
saw a flock of 60 birds on the rocky island (walk out at low tide)   
on the south tip of the point  NOT in Holly Pond! I had to leave  
before low tide to see if they moved up the river.

Today I drove by Southport Beach in the morning at High Tide. There  
were 64 birds in the water off the jetty and some on the jetty. There  
were 16 immature birds ( 25%). In the past, immatures made up less  
than 1%. No other small gulls were identified.


What does this mean? I don't know, but it makes everything more  
complicated. Now we need to look at the traditional sites at other  
than low tides. In particular, we  need to have someone look at South  
Cove in Old Saybrook at high tide.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield.