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Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, is quite common alng the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. If you've ever seen/heard one throw its head back and kcik up a fuss, you now whrer they got the name.
The male and female usually build their nest together. If a male hasn't found a mate, he might start building a nest platform to attract a lady. The parents remove eggshells from the nest after the eggs hatch. Otherwise, a fragment might get stuck on top of a younger, smaller egg and keep it from hatching.
In the 19th century, nest colonies in the northeastern US were nearly wiped out by egg and plume hunters, but populations have increased since they've been protected.
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7 comments:
Gorgeous pics... So, are you in St. Marks? I lived in Wakulla for 11 years, in a neighborhood just north of Jerry's Bait Shop. We loved it down there, but aging parents made it necessary to live a little closer. We're in Tally now, and finally have a house that we like. Still miss Wakulla, though...
Congratulations Swampangel! I never could see it with the right eyes to pick out an open gull mouth. Great picture and game, Sophie.
Okay- now I see it- of course it is laughing gull... duhhh! Was it one of the twins?
My eyes just don't cooperate for this game.
Congrats to Swamp Angel- you are really good at this.
Meems @Hoe&Shovel
Sayre, thanks for stopping in! I'm in Wakulla, but closer to 319 than St Marks. The refuge is one of my favourite hang-outs.
When we moved up here, I loved going to Tally, but it's changed so much... *sigh* Wakulla is now going down the same path and I'm wishing I could pick up my 18 forest acres and plant them further south.
Steve, does this prove that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts? 8-}
Meems, I know just what you mean. It seems SO obvious after the fact. The twins never cracked a beak. I left them still standing together and hunted down a more greagarious gull.
I never realized how red their mouths are! That's why I like these "puzzles"..they get you to look at things more carefully than you normally would. Fun, fun, fun...keep it up!
And I am SO happy I finally beat Steve!
SwampAngel, that red mouth is really something, isn't it? Good job figuring it out!
sophie: There's an award waiting for you at my blog. :-)
Meems @Hoe&Shovel
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