From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Mon Dec 1 15:39:43 2003 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id hB1NaZos007484 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 1 Dec 2003 15:36:36 -0800 (PST) Received: from smtp3.Stanford.EDU (smtp3.stanford.edu [171.67.16.117]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id hB1NZeg8007431 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 1 Dec 2003 15:35:41 -0800 (PST) Received: from [171.65.20.125] (PeregrineII.Stanford.EDU [171.65.20.125]) by smtp3.Stanford.EDU (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id hB1NZc7n022675 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 1 Dec 2003 15:35:39 -0800 Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: [[email protected]] Message-Id: In-Reply-To: <049701c3b7d4$e70a0850$6501a8c0@KrisDesktop> References: <049701c3b7d4$e70a0850$6501a8c0@KrisDesktop> Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 15:35:45 -0800 To: South Bay Birds <[[email protected]]> From: Richard Stovel <[[email protected]]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Subject: [SBB] Re: Bonaparte Gull flight behavior X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.2+ Precedence: list List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Unsubscribe: , List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Kris - I too have been intrigued by the flight behavior of Bonaparte's Gulls at the Baylands and been reminded of large blackbird flocks. Once I watched them emerge from the sewage treatment plant at dusk and head for the bay in 3 separate groups of about 200, 300 and 50, separated by a couple of minutes. All three groups flew low over the estuary toward the bay, then rose up and flew (perhaps "flowed" would be a better word) over the High Voltage lines, then dropped down close to the water surface and continued flying toward the center of the bay until I couldn't see them anymore. Possibly they were using the ground effect for flying efficiency over the bay, but it is hard to see why they bothered to climb over the power lines when they could have easily flown under. - Dick >Hi all, > >I escaped to the Baylands around 3pm today. I was curious to see if I >could find the Franklin's gull amid the Bonaparte's. [No] > >I watched the Bonapartes until 4:45pm. They came and went from the >mudflats across from the old sailing shack at the Baylands. First 10 >or so would come in and land. The group got up to 100 birds. Whoosh! >They all took off, flying up and down in huge swoops, turning >backwards and forwards (belly to back) in flight-- reminding me of how >blackbirds fly in these huge synchronized flock. It took them awhile >to successfully get into 1 large flock; at first little groups of 10 >or so gulls kept colliding with each other, until they were able to >merge. Then they all suddenly disappeared behind the sewage treatment >plant. About 15 minutes they swooped back over the Baylands; some >landed, but the bulk vanished over the Bay. I think when I finally >gave up due to low light at 4:45, there was 1 Bonaparte's gull left! >The only times I have watched large groups of these gulls is when they >were feeding over a river/bay; then they hovered over the water >dipping up and down, taking action more as indivuals. > >I would be curious about this behavior if anyone knows about these >gulls. > >Geng Rd golf pond: I finally did see the HOODED MERGANSERS there; 2 >adult males, 1 immature male with lines on his back, and 4 females. > >Kris Olson >Menlo Park, CA -- Richard Stovel [[email protected]] _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]]