Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Rotarran on January 11, 2015, 09:28:04 PM

Title: Great Black-backed Gulls @ Sir Casimir Gzowski Park
Post by: Rotarran on January 11, 2015, 09:28:04 PM

Every January there seem to be two or three Great Black-backed Gulls @ Sir Casimir Gzowski park between Humber Bay East and Sunnyside park.  They're usually on the breakwater just east of the white foot-bridge that spans over the mouth of Humber river.  

I know Gulls can sometimes be difficult to identify but these guys, with their great size and sooty-black backs stand out very nicely against all the light grey-backed Ring-billed and Herring gulls.  In fact Great Black-backeds are the biggest gulls in the world.

They're quite a treat...not sure how long they stay but I think they're usually only seen in winter because come spring time, they migrate back to the Atlantic coast.

I'll post some pics later.

Edit: I did a search on ebid and they seem more common than I originally thought.  They're still a neat species to observe.

Title: Re: Great Black-backed Gulls @ Sir Casimir Gzowski Park
Post by: Rotarran on January 11, 2015, 11:41:04 PM

Ok as promised here are a few pics.  I had some fun with these, hope you enjoy.
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/IMG_2393_zps0d4d1c7b.jpg)
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/IMG_2355_zps08e8be1c.jpg)
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/IMG_2341_zps97217df0.jpg)
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/IMG_2418_zps2f6ff79d.jpg)