Herring Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls are, by far, the most common gulls in our area in all seasons.

The fact that the Ring-bill has a ring on the bill:

and the Herring Gull doesn’t:

would seem to be the easiest way to identify one from the other.

However, frequently the gull is too far away or the bill is concealed.

Another way to tell Ring-billed Gulls from Herring Gulls is size. Herring Gulls are considerably larger (about 25 inches in length) than Ring-billed Gulls (about 19 inches in length).

We saw this on the sunny beach at Marie Curtis Park where I took these photos this morning.

Other birds:

Species list: great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, Canada goose, mallard, American black duck, red-tailed hawk, ring-billed gull, herring gull, red-bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, ruby-crowned kinglet, house sparrow, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, white-throated sparrow.  (17 species)

Marie Curtis Park scenes:

Today’s group:

Some botany:

NATURE POETRY

Yes, I move, I live, I wander astray—
Water running, intermingling, over the sands.
I know the passionate pleasure of motion;
I taste the forests; I touch strange lands.             – Alfonsina Storni (1892–1938)

Miles Hearn