Wishing everyone on the Gregorian calendar a very Happy New Year and a great forthcoming 2025! Celebrating the holiday here with recent shots of Great Black-backed Gulls at Beach No. 11 @ Presque Isle State Park.
Unusually, there were at least seven Great Black-backed Gulls along the waterline, e.g., 5 are shown in the lovely shot above, along w/ Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. (More typically it’s one or two, frequently way out on the water or perched on a buoy.)
ID tips: black wings, very large (larger than Herring Gull), and light pink legs.
This shot is just American Coots & Ring-billed Gulls:
Dark bird with outstretched wings could be juvenile Herring Gull:
Mixed gulls including Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls:
