Gull and Loon Feeding Frenzy [Franklin]

The Vermont Birder Guy

Hi all

Sunday about 1130ish at Saint Albans Beach Park, initially I found five Bonaparte’s Gull hanging out along shore line along with lone Semipalmated Plover. Happen chance scanned the lake to discover two gull feeding frenzies going on–one close to shore the other much farther out. Closer to shore I noticed some darker birds diving for which initially thought probably cormorants, closer inspection (binos) thought these could be loons. Ran to car to get scope and sure enough there were eight Common Loon participating in the gull fun! There was a much larger feeding frenzy way-y-y out there probably 5x or more larger than flock I was looking at closer to the beach. There were similar dark birds so suspect these, too, were probably loons-did no count “loons” in this flock.

What do you make of this guy?

Is this a Common Loon?
Bonaparte’s Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (r) and Bonaparte’s Gull (l)
L-R Great Black-backed Gull, Common Loon, Ring-billed Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Common Loon, Ring-billed Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull and Common Loon
Bonaparte’s and Ring-billed Gull and Common Loon
Common Loon and Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Various Gull and Loon
Common Loon
Common Loon

Closer to home I found a small “swamp pond” along Rice Hill Road east side of Vermont 78 and north of Vermont 105 in Sheldon-area. First Hooded Merganser seen in Vermont for me. Also, Common Raven, Great Blue Heron and some Canada Goose.

Scene Setting
Canada Goose
Hooded Merganser
Common Raven
Common Raven
Great Blue Heron

Thanks

The Vermont Birder Guy

Published by The Vermont Birder Guy