While birding this afternoon with admitted nerd Cass Grattan (and celebrated author of Ode To The Drag Bray Birds of the Pacific Northwest), I decided to swing by the San Leandro Marina, where Noah Arthur reported a Lesser Black-backed Gull (LBBG) from a parking lot next to El Torito over the weekend. You easterners may find this a perfectly reasonable place to see a LBBG, but here in California they are substantially rarer, especially away from the Salton Sea. Although not a MEGA, it's still a damn good bird in the state.
Although no one had reported the bird since Noah's report from last weekend, I was surprised to find it within a few minutes. Conveniently, it was located in the gull flock I happened to be standing next to. It allowed repeated crushings and very close approach...I'm sure it's been taking handouts from people in this lot for quite a while. At any rate, by far the most cooperative member of its species I've seen.
This was a life bird for Cass. A birdgasm may or may not have occurred.
I had forgotten how small these birds can be for a four-year gull...there were California Gulls in this flock that made this bird look puny in comparison.
If this gull post turned you on or completely bummed you out, be sure to check BB&B tomorrow for the complete, and possibly vulgar, explanation on Larophilia....things may never be the same.
Yes to both. I will return tomorrow with lotion and roses.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I think I have Larophilia because I can't resist photographing them.
ReplyDeleteI read this post right before I went to bed. Woke up dreaming of gulls and realized something really embarrassing happened. Not since Jr. High ....
ReplyDeleteGross. You better get your kicks in while you can, they're probably departing the area already.
Deleteleave it to the camera trapper to take things too far. Sorry about that.
ReplyDelete