Hi everyone,
following the posting for last Saturday referring to Iceland Gulls at Ashridges Park next to the marina. As I was in the city for the day on one of my regular visits from the UK on 20th January and decided to check out the birds as I haven't seen Iceland Gull in North America before.
I found one individual, a biscuit colored immature (1st winter I assume as the mantle shower no gray) on the ice with the Ring billed gull flock. There were more gulls further out but beyond the range of my binoculars.
The bird had found a piece of blue tube about three inches long and was toying with it, throwing it on the ice then chasing it and catching it. tossing it in the air then going to the ice edge and washing it in open water before turning and skidding it across the ice again. I assume this behaviour is a young bird practising hunting like cats do with a mouse.
stay warm and have a good year.
