In this case – a Laughing Gull.

Recent posting include butterflies, creepy crawling critters and other flying bugs, a bird was over due.  Plus I like the word ubiquitous

 

Gulls are not picky about their food. One has a clam, the other has a starfish.

One gull on the ice, the other lands near and a stare down begins. They gradually move closer to each other. The fighting begins and the winner gets…the ice patch?

Ivory Gull at Provincetown, Ma on Jan 16th

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Ok, this one makes seven…

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Update: According to Massachusetts Avian Records Committee, “Prior to 2009 there were only nine records of Ivory Gulls in Massachusetts, none more recent than 1985. The first-winter bird in Salisbury was widely seen and well photographed during its lengthy visit”.
In 2009 the Ivory Gull was seen in Gloucester and Plymouth, MA. In 2010, once more the Ivory Gull has returned to visit Massachusetts and seen in Provincetown.

A very bright  sunny day that was not overly windy but enough to put the bite into you especially walking into the wind. It has been years since I ventured to Provincetown, until the presence of the Ivory Gull. I was fortunate to view this wonderful bird last year and I was extremely surprised of it’s report in Massachusetts once more.

This bird flew up and down Race Point Beach stopping at various sections. It would land, walk the beach and fly away eventually making its way back to the vicinity of the parking lot. The possible viewing area was much larger then the gull that visited Plymouth last year. If you waited in the general area the possibility of seeing it was good.

When I did see the Ivory Gull, it made an almost magical appearance. I, by chance, was near a bird carcass that the gull was interested in.

The length that I was able to view the bird was short (literally minutes) as the bird was busily exploring the beach and flying away. It was a short but memorable experience.

The Ivory Gull is a simple but remarkably adorned with iridescent white plumage, jet black legs and eyes. Red liner around the eyes with a pale gray-blue bill tipped with pale yellow-orange. Photos due no justice.

Some photos of the day.

Two things I never thought I would ever see in my lifetime. Not only did it happen once but twice! One was the Red Sox winning the World Series – twice! (If you’re a Red Sox fan, you understand )

The other, an Ivory Gull – twice! Once last year at Plymouth, Ma. After Plymouth, I honestly thought I would never see this bird again. However it happened again, this year at Race Point Beach in Provincetown, MA. I had the rare opportunity to see this bird twice!

Walking along Race Point Beach I met a few people interested in the Ivory Gull. The Gull’s habit seemed to be walking west on the beach foraging and then flying back to the area near the parking lot. Then walking west again and flying back.

One couple I met, who walked further west than I, did not see the gull. We chatted some and parted. As the couple walked away, I decided to stay where I was for a few minutes based on the gulls pattern from the people I talked to on the beach.

No more than five minutes passed, when the couple I just spoke to left the area. Like an angel from the sky, the iridescent Ivory Gull appeared and landed right in front of me. I gasped but could not signal the couple I just met; they were a distance away with their backs to me. If I shouted or waved I feared the bird may fly away.

When the Ivory Gull landed, it walked to a bird carcass (Ring-billed Gull?) and picked at it but not for long. The gull busily searched the sand for other morsels. As it searched the ground I kept still and it walked toward me. The gull walked within a few feet of me and then flew a few yards away. It did not stay in one place for very long. When it was done it flew east past the parking lot. As it flew toward the parking lot, it flew over a few people and they did not even know!

As I sort through my photos, here is one of the iridescent white Ivory Gull by a bird carcass.

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This gull dived into the shallow water, picked a clam from the mud bottom and flew off.  In the distance the gull dropped it on the rocks. The gull not satisfied with the results eventually flew to rocker grounds which was closer to me. When I noticed this, I aimed my camera toward the gull and managed a couple of  photos.