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Breeding plumage Bonaparte's Gull in Asheville



I saw a beautiful Bonaparte's Gull in breeding plumage at the Beaver Lake
Bird Sanctuary this morning. During a break in the rain I stopped by to do
some maintenance and after doing my chore walked down to the boardwalk
overlooks.

The Bonaparte's was feeding in its usual manner, gleaning off the surface
of the water.  My references say it eats insects as well as small fish and
shellfish and nests in trees in the boreal forest.  This bird was probably
migrating from the east coast to Canada or Alaska, via the Great Lakes.

If you're working on learning scientific names, this one is relatively
easy:  Larus philadelphia.  The gull was described and named by a
Philadelphia ornitholgist, George Ord, who collected (likely shot) a
specimen near Philadelphia.  Ord decided to name the gull for a nephew of
Napoleon's who spent eight years in North America doing ornithology.

Also present this morning at BLBS (but not seen on Saturday's bird walk)
were four Pine Siskins.

Len Pardue, Asheville, NC