While at Barnegat Light State Park in New Jersey late last year I was lucky enough to photograph a Herring Gull chopping down on a nice looking sea star. I normally associate sea stars with Florida or the West Coast because that is where I have seen the most and so I was surprised at first when I recognized the gull’s victim. Gulls are not picky eaters. In fact,
Birds of North America (BNA) states that Herring Gulls are a “generalist predator on pelagic and intertidal marine invertebrates, fishes, insects, other seabirds, and adults, eggs, and young of congeners. Opportunistic scavenger on fish, carrion, human refuse.” BNA also says that they swallow small prey items whole while large prey items (gastropods, bivalves, sea urchins, crabs) are broken up and eaten or dropped on rocks to break them open.
This guy really juggled the sea star around trying to fit it down his throat. He seemed frustrated that no matter which way he turned the sea star, its legs were still sticking out and he could not get it down his throat. As I left, he managed to get the sea star further down his throat but still had no luck as far as actually swallowing it.
I was particularly lucky these finals days of the year, getting great looks at the Western Kingbird and pretty good looks at the Ash-throated Flycatcher. And even better, both these birds were close to my house so I didn’t have to spend money on gas. This is a great change after missing some key birds earlier in the year (Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird).
A year end trip to Barnegat Light, NJ yielded my life King Eider as well as great photo opportunities for Brant, Common Loon and Harlequin Duck.
One of the highlights at Barnegat Light was seeing two Peregrine Falcons strafing a nervous flock of Purple Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones for about 5 minutes until one of the birds finally caught something. The other Peregrine immediately took off in hot pursuit. Unfortunately my digiscoping setup does not allow for easy shots of birds that are flying. Occasionally I get lucky though.
So I ended up with 294 species for the year. I think that is pretty respectable for the amount of driving I did. I managed 373 in 2005 but that was bolstered by a trip to the west coast. I can barely wait to see what 2007 will hold for me. Hope 2006 treated you well and here’s to a wonderful 2007.
Birds can be very interesting when they show up out of place, but they are especially exciting when they show up nearby and no long drive is necessary to see them. So is the case with this Western Kingbird, which I managed to see on the way home from breakfast this morning.
The Ash-throated Flycatcher proved an easy target for my camera. I am heading off to New Jersey early tomorrow with my girlfriend so I need sleep and will post more of my adventures over the weekend.
