They were too far away for me to really see what this pair of Laughing Gulls was doing, but from the intense pursuit food seemed the likely inspiration.
They put on quite an acrobatic show.
Flying upside down, and hanging onto the fish…
They kept on moving, beyond where I could photograph them. I’m not sure either one got a meal out of their adventure.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 14, 2022
Gulls and terns were snagging lunch out of the pond and flying off to eat it on a recent gorgeous blue-skyed day.
The gulls will try to steal another bird’s catch so a successful hunter will quickly move on to a safer spot to eat.
Most of the catching was on the other side of the pond, swooping away from me.
This tern opted to fly low with his catch.
While a gull took off higher before disappearing over the marsh.
August 4, 2020
One of the Gulls I was watching in post Gull Ballet successfully nabbed a snack from the water.
In no time a second Gull was in hot pursuit.
The first Gull picked up speed.
As they flew off he still had possession, probably trying to swallow it as they went.
It was grey, overcast, and very still.
A few gulls were performing intricate moves as they hunted for a meal in a small pond.
The ripple in the water was from the bird first lifting up.
He hovered a moment then dropped right back down inside the rings…
smoothly entering the water.
The White Ibis was wading in the canal just off the dike at the rice field impoundment. I waited patiently for him to get far enough from the bank to get a clear shot.
Then an intruder! Several Ring-billed Gulls were on the opposite bank in the shallow water. I didn’t expect any to be interested in the deeper water, not thinking they would float, not wade.
The Gull continued paddling until he was behind the White Ibis and lifted his head, turning a photobombed shot into a nice bird combo image.
I didn’t see the shrimp arrive or which gull had it first.
The gull on the right was in hot and noisy pursuit when the possessor of the moment took to the air.
Unfortunately the shrimp broke apart.
Or not, if you are gull number two diving in for the recovery of what looked like the bigger piece.
The Cormorant was swimming low in the water with his catch, probably a crab based on the parts you can see sticking out in a couple of the images.
Alas, a Laughing Gull spotted him and dropped in for a closer look.
The Cormarant dodged the gull and kept his prize.
The gull rose up a for another try.
Attracted by the activity a second gull joined in the harrassment.
The Cormarant dodged the interlopers and swallowed his lunch before the gulls re-grouped.
Click on any photo for a larger view of the action.
Elegant flyers, gulls winged up into the blue sky with a clams and other treasures pulled from the surf at Long Beach in Stratford.
Let go.
Then chase it to the ground hoping to be the one to retrieve the released lunch.
