Glaucous-winged Gulls

[AndyB]

Went out looking for gulls yesterday around LA and found a couple of interesting flocks at Cabrillo Beach in LA harbor. The sea was very rough from a winter storm and so most gulls were on the harbor side. Highlights were about 20 Mew Gulls, single American Herring Gull and two 1st cycle Glaucous-winged Gulls. A lot of the young Westerns were chasing a tennis ball around the beach trying to eat it and one of the Glaucous-wingeds was very territorial over this ball which was quite entertaining to watch. However, much they tried, none of them could swallow it.

Here's a link to the video (http://surfbirds.com/video2/view_video.php?viewkey=41343aa7acb6a06a751e) that also shows the darker-mantled GW also calling.

Here's also some Caspian Terns (http://surfbirds.com/video2/view_video.php?viewkey=5db0d477d707121934ff)

I also attach some video grabs of the two different Glaucous-wingeds (with said tennis ball) and two shots of the adult American Herring Gull.

[Red-eyed Video]

Very interesting footage Andy, it's just as well that one of them didn't manage to swallow it!

My uploaded footage is suffering from 'moving lines', can you suggest any reason & cure?

[Alex Lees]

Andy,

Looking forward to reading the polemic paper:

Birch, A. 2008. Recreational behaviour in the large white-headed gull complex; taxonomic implications of interspecefic variation in ball control. Waterbirds, 28: 30-31.

Alex

[AndyB]

Hi Dave, your video needs to be de-interlaced. I'm assuming your source quicktime, wmv, avi that you uploaded has the same issue? There should be a de-interlace box you can tick when you're making the movie from your editing program. You can do the yousendit.com route and send me your movie and I can de-interlace and make a high res flash file for you to re-upload if you like. Happy to do it. Best, Andy