03 April 2013

Maryland Black-headed Gull

Back in December of 2011, I went to Baltimore County Maryland to see this adult Black-headed Gull:

 BHGU. 14 December 2011. Baltimore County, MD.
Then last week, while in the Baltimore area again, I learned that this same bird (presumably) had returned to the same mall parking lot (Hunt Valley Mall):

BHGU (same individual above in basic plumage). 26 March 2013. Baltimore County, MD.

The reoccurence of this individual reinforces the notion that gulls exhibit strong site fidelity.

A BHGU in alternate plumage is a first for me in the United States and so I was very pleased.

Although the coloration of this bird's legs are a deep red, they appear black in this
photo as they sit in the shadow of its tail.
Interestingly, this smaller gull sat among the larger Ring-billeds but behaved in a very similar fashion, but even more aggressive and vocal when coming in for handouts. To read more about this click here.