No Little Gull at Chatfield but some intersting behavior to watch, Douglas County

[Brian Johnson]

I finally had a chain to search for the little gull but it was gone. However after arriving at the Sandspit and felling rather disappointed I heard an alarm call of a Ring-billed Gull and at first I did not give it much thought. But it counted and got more agitated sounding. I finally located the gull, flying about 200 feet from the sandspit it was being chased by a large dark brown gull. I got a bit exited at first thinking I had an Jagger but after looking at the photos I learned it was a 2nd winter Herring Gull. It lost track of it but it came back, and this was when I got some really good photos. I have not yet wintered this behavior (Kleptoparasitism) so it was a great thing to watch. The ring-bills were defiantly agitated, rather then just loafing around they kept taking to the air, circling around and landing again. I watched this behavior happen three different times. So although the Little Gull was gone I still had a good time watching something I have never seen except with Attenborough documentaries (really like those), however I image some gulls that would disagree with the 'enjoyable' part. I have added my photos of this to my checklist including the Herring Gull just behind the Ring-bill in purist,
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31467141
 
Brian Johnson
Englewood CO

[Brian Johnson]

Please see the new post, Jaeger, Chatfield, for an update on this. It turns out this was a jaeger, Thanks Tony for correcting me on this. A very happy correction,
Brian Johnson
Englewood Co