Royal Terns and a Racket of Gulls

Royal Terns appeared on Weesuck Creek and Shinnecock Bay this morning. I saw Royals a week or so ago at Cupsogue but today's were the first 2012 birds heard and seen around here. As usual, I heard them before I saw them. These big terns are one of our signs of mid-summer along with the appearances of Spotted Sandpipers and Great Blue Herons -- both also seen today.

Another sign of the season: a big gathering of blackbirds -- mostly young Red-wings but also including Common Grackles and Starlings -- in the bushes and trees all along the edge of the pond and marsh.

The Common Yellowthroat family moved down the edge of the marsh for a day or two and then retreated back up into the brush and woods around the head of the marsh where they are still hanging out. It continues to be difficult to see the young birds who stay deep in the brush but they call for attention as the adults hunt nearby for food.

A Herring Gull holding what looked like a Spider Crab flew overhead chased by two two other gulls making a lot of noise. But the biggest racket was created by Ring-billed Gulls sitting on the water in the creek below and calling like hungry young birds demanding to be fed. But these were not young birds; they were in full adult plumage and one had the feeling that they were making a racket just for the sake of making a racket. Gulls are noisy birds but figuring out their calls is not the easiest thing in the world.

Eric Salzman