Gulls Perching on Roofs of Houses
Cunningham Pond
Maple, ON
21 November 2013
This relatively small wetland and pond harbours gulls at all seasons of the year, but as low temperatures in late fall and winter become the norm, there is generally a substantial build up of gulls, and when ice forms they loaf on the surface by the hundred. From time to time rarities show up in the winter and this pond is always worthy of checking.
The pond is in the middle of a residential area and is surrounded by houses and schools. Shopping plazas are not far away, with all the attendant possibilities for food handouts from humans, and waste from restaurants. As can be seen from the pictures below the gulls use the roofs of the houses as convenient perches and I am sure the mess they create must cause great annoyance to the homeowners.
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| American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus |
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| Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis |
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| Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis |
There are several Tamarack Larix laricina trees (sometimes referred to as American Larch) along the shore and the following images show the profusion of cones this year, providing a welcome source of winter nourishment for many birds.
Here are several views of the pond and some of the bird life present today.
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| Canada Geese Branta canadensis |
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| Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis |
This Red Osier Dogwood Cornus stolonifera was located in a marshy area. It is a very attractive shrub and its fiery red colour stands out against the general drabness of other vegetation at this time of the year.
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