Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The clean-up crew


Notice how many pieces of bread it has in its mouth.
It came back later to take the last two,
and then returned a third time to look at the clean board,
and then stare in at me as if to say "More, please!"
I removed the platform for today.

Note: The spokes in that railing are four and three-quarters inches apart, and the bird is covering about seven of those spaces, so if its wings were straight out from its body, the wingspan would be over three feet.
 

2 comments:

  1. What's the matter Ray...Running out of cheese bread?

    That is a hellava wingspan,,,Ever figure out what kind of gull it be?

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  2. Hi, Uncle Ron -

    No, as a matter of fact, I'm getting them trained at the supermarket bakery to leave a couple of loaves of cheese bread unsliced for those who might like it that way.

    I should look it up in my Bird Book! (Just did) The Field Guide to Western Birds describes it and shows an illustration, calling it a Glaucous Gull, and says "very large". That would seem to right.
    "Where found: Arctic; circumpolar. Winters to U.S., Britain, n. China.
    West: Breeds on Arctic coasts and islands south to Bristol Bay, Alaska. Winters along coast from Bering Sea to s. California (sparingly). Casual east of Rockies from Alberta to n. Texas; also Utah. Habitat: Coastal waters."

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