Vanguard of the Invasion

Early Tuesday morning I was met with the first of what will probably soon be thousands of invaders who will soon be swooping and soaring around large parking lots, small ponds and lakes, and all along the Ohio River.

Ring-Billed Gull in Flight

That's right, the weather up on the Great Lakes must be just bad enough to push out the first of the Ring-Billed Gulls ( Larus delawarensis ). Before much longer these loud, sometimes obnoxious, but quite smart, and very entertaining birds will be here in large numbers.



Ring-Bills are a medium sized Seagull, with yellow legs, with white under-wings and belly and head, gray upper wings with black tips, and a yellow bill with a black ring around the end of the its bill. (Hence, Ring-Billed Gull).

Adult Ring-Billed Gull

Juveniles are similar in size, but they are of a color that would make them appear to be a dirty mottled grey, with streaking on its chest and flanks, and its legs are a pinkish color.

Juvenile Ring-Billed Gull

Though they will probably get rather boring rather quickly to many birders, keep a sharp eye out, because often mixed into the flocks of ring-bills will be the occasional Herring Gull, a couple of Bonaparte's Gulls, and a Tern or two.

Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)

Personally I love these loud, rude birds, last year I was able to photograph and record two tagged Ring-Bills, and one that Had been banded. And their antics always seem to cheer me up when the winter days get bleak.

In addition to their character, the return of the Ring-Bills signal to me its time to keep a close eye out for "oddity ducks", I have all ready been able to get some good photos of Hooded Mergansers ( Lophodytes cucullatus ) and Greater Scaup ( Aythya marila ) in Clarksville.

It wont be too long now that it will time to pay close attention to rafts of ducks on ponds and the river, as unusual (to here) ducks like White-Winged Scoters, American Wigeon, and not to mention the Wood Ducks will be in their full splendor!