Mid-winter ramblings
Another day, another landfill gulling session postponed by snow.
Today's storm arrived a good 3+ hours ahead of schedule, effectively canceling my trip to the landfill with Frank Gallo. We've had a wonderfully snowy winter here in Connecticut. Every storm's highest totals seem to come from somewhere in southern New England, with CT right in the heart of each one. I happen to love it (even when it gets in the way of birding plans). We've already surpassed our seasonal snowfall average, and 6-10 more inches are expected from the current storm.
Back to gulls. Where have they been? The regional gulling scene has been sub-par this winter. Other than a handful of Icelands and the occasional Glauc, it's been quiet here. The center of the continent has been much more exciting, with an early flurry of Ross's Gulls and a couple recent Slaty-backed Gulls. Newfoundland has enjoyed its 'expected' rarities like Slaty-backed and Yellow-legged, plus their second Black-tailed Gull. An early November Ivory Gull out in California had folks thinking another invasion was on the way, but nothing else yet (and just as well, as each vagrant adult IVGU makes me worry more about their status up north). But here in south New England...dullsville.
Hopefully that will change soon. I'll do my best over the next few days, once this storm passes. And if not, I'll be in San Diego for a conference in a few weeks and hope to do some gulling at the Salton Sea.
UPDATE: So much for 6-10". We had about a foot here in Wallingford and many towns in the state, except the NW, exceeded 12 inches. Birding plans thwarted again after having to wait until noon for businesses to open to take care of errands!
- NB
Today's storm arrived a good 3+ hours ahead of schedule, effectively canceling my trip to the landfill with Frank Gallo. We've had a wonderfully snowy winter here in Connecticut. Every storm's highest totals seem to come from somewhere in southern New England, with CT right in the heart of each one. I happen to love it (even when it gets in the way of birding plans). We've already surpassed our seasonal snowfall average, and 6-10 more inches are expected from the current storm.
Back to gulls. Where have they been? The regional gulling scene has been sub-par this winter. Other than a handful of Icelands and the occasional Glauc, it's been quiet here. The center of the continent has been much more exciting, with an early flurry of Ross's Gulls and a couple recent Slaty-backed Gulls. Newfoundland has enjoyed its 'expected' rarities like Slaty-backed and Yellow-legged, plus their second Black-tailed Gull. An early November Ivory Gull out in California had folks thinking another invasion was on the way, but nothing else yet (and just as well, as each vagrant adult IVGU makes me worry more about their status up north). But here in south New England...dullsville.
Hopefully that will change soon. I'll do my best over the next few days, once this storm passes. And if not, I'll be in San Diego for a conference in a few weeks and hope to do some gulling at the Salton Sea.
UPDATE: So much for 6-10". We had about a foot here in Wallingford and many towns in the state, except the NW, exceeded 12 inches. Birding plans thwarted again after having to wait until noon for businesses to open to take care of errands!
- NB
It's sometimes hard for me to imagine all the snow you guys are getting up north since we winter in Florida.
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