March 9, 2014 - Gulf Shores, Alabama
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While Diana and I were in Florida, we took a short trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama. It’s right on the Gulf Coast at the western border of Florida. This Ring-billed Gull caught something (maybe a shrimp) but the Laughing Gull gave chase trying to steal it away. (It wasn’t successful).
Sanderlings are small (7½ inch) shorebirds and they are abundant along the Gulf Coast in winter. They look like little wind-up toys as they chase the waves in and out searching for tidbits that are washed up by the water. It’s rare to see them standing still; they’re constantly on the move.
Sometimes Sanderlings push their bills into the sand looking for food. They leave a trail of tiny sand piles behind. I wish I knew what they were finding under the sand.
They have a short bill but sometimes it will be totally pushed into the sand.
One Ring-billed Gull came close and gave me a chance to take some portrait shots. The short gray streaks on its head are the only unique feature of its winter plumage. Very shortly those will go away and the head will be pure white for the summer. Notice the thin ring of red skin around the eye. There is also a tiny bit of orange where the bill meets the feathers. See the next photo for an explanation.
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