Under-Wings!

Deryl offered some pics for my blog post from a recent walk. We both managed to photograph birds flying directly overhead, but he spent more time at the beach. Three Bald Eagles scoured the lakeshore for food - one adult and 2 immatures.

We were expecting a large storm off Lake Huron Friday night, but the winds shifted, and eastern Lambton County (as usual) got the snow instead. Storm clouds to the east filled the sky while we were standing in sunshine.

This bird is possibly a Glaucous Gull, but it is difficult to confirm the species from the photo angle. Glaucous Gulls are the second largest gull in the world by wing length, but the heaviest gull by weight! The only gull larger is the Great Black-backed Gull. Many adult Glaucous Gulls remain in the arctic year-round, where they eat virtually anything from lemmings to seabirds to starfish, as well as fruit, insects, carrion, and trash. Most individuals that we see in the winter on the lower Great Lakes are immature birds.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Glaucous_Gull/overview

The American Herring Gull is one of the most familiar gulls along the East Coast and many people just call them 'seagulls'. There are actually 2 dozen different species of gulls living in North American. No gull has the species name of “Seagull”.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Herring_Gull/overview

Migrating Ring-billed Gulls apparently use a built-in compass to navigate. When tested at only 2 days old, chicks showed a preference for magnetic bearings that would take them in the appropriate direction for fall migration. The gulls also rely on landmarks and high-altitude winds to provide directional cues.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/overview

Two flocks of Tundra Swans headed south, off Lake Huron this morning. I looked up when I heard them. I was fully enclosed by trees when the first flock flew overhead, but was luckily in the open for the second flock.

Black-capped Chickadee in flight: It carried a seed in its mouth and upon landing will either eat it, or wedge it in a tree bark crevice for future consumption.

Deryl got closer this week to the Coyote. Coyotes have a well-developed sense of hearing and smell. A sudden odour or noise can make it change its course in mid-step. It is obviously used to seeing people on the trails!

https://hww.ca/en/wildlife/mammals/coyote.html