The Lone Gull

 

Standing on water-
the ice closes in
Don McManus photo

For much of the recent season a singular Ring-billed Gull whom we'll call RBG has frequented the quarry pond at Halibut Point.

RBG sometimes hangs out on the fringes of the big-chested crowd that often gathers for bathing, preening, and kibitzing. RBG maintains an obsequious, "Hey, guys, it's me!" posture from the outside.

RBG invariably gets the silent treatment from the chatty, gregarious Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. 

Tern-like flight

Yet RBG is an adept and buoyant flyer. It circles keenly over the water looking for minnows to catch. None of the bigger species even attempt this.

With its lighter build RBG can skim over the surface ready to plunge on an unwary fish.

While it's swimming RBG spends a lot of time bobbing and turning cork-like to look for ripples that give away a submerged fish.

With quick sprints it occasionally gets to the prize in time for a successful catch.

The bulkier gull species that are so well adapted to soaring in the wind, scavenging at sea, bullying seals and diving ducks, can't share in that bounty below the very surface where they are congregating restfully.

RBG hunts with a parallel but entirely different foraging plan from the herbivorous Mallards.

The wonder is that this individual in the relentless opportunism of nature has the "field" to itself.