March [gull] Madness

Today is the first day of the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness. Or as I like to call it, the best day of the year.

But this time of year marks the start of a different month-long event along the CT coast - the coastal gull show. For the next few weeks, gulls will likely congregate in large numbers (in the thousands) along the central and western coasts, where in recent years a large plankton concentration/bloom has occurred from March into early April.

These gull numbers, impressive in their own right, sometimes include rarities. 2009's finds included a "Common" Mew and probable Thayer's Gull. Anything is possible.

For more info on this event over the past couple years, click HERE.

- NB

Comments

  1. Vincent MistrettaMarch 17, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    Nick,
    Where in Fairflield County have you seen the gulls during this event?
    Thanks,
    Vinnie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nick BonomoMarch 18, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    Hi Vinnie,
    In FFLD County I've seen them best from Stratford to Bridgeport and in the Westport-Norwalk area. There have been recent reports from the Greenwich Point area. Basically, any stretch of shoreline in that area could have them. The concentrations of plankton must vary greatly depending on the day and tide, because the locations and numbers of gulls vary. It can be a hit-or-miss event, but when you "hit," it's pretty amazing.

    ReplyDelete

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