Antelope Island - I. Feeding Frenzy
There are massive numbers of brine flies on Antelope island during summer.
They are found only within a few feet of the shore.
They don't bite and won't even land on humans.
They are a huge nutritional resource for birds like Franklin's gulls
and California gulls.
The blurry brown bits in the background are brine flies.
The Franklin's gull is looking at the shore line and preparing for the run on the flies.
The birds are rushing though the hordes of flies on the sand,
staring them up, and then snap them out of the air
in large numbers.
Resting.
Feeding on brine flies.
Another run with open mouth feeding on brine flies.
The gulls with the dark heads and legs in your pictures are Franklin’s Gulls. They are starting to lose the solid black which they wore in breeding plumage. Soon they will be migrating as far as southern South America. I have seen huge flocks of this species in Chile.
ReplyDeleteDavid, that is good that you pointed out that the gulls with dark heads and legs are Franklin's Gulls.
ReplyDeleteI hope I would see them a few more times before they migrate to southern South America.
There were also some other gulls besides California Gulls and Franklin's Gulls whom I have never seen before. I hope that in future you help me to identify them.
It sort of gives me the chills to think of walking through such swarms of flies even if they do not care to land on people. It appears the birds in the second and the fifth and, possibly, the seventh photographs are using their wings to try to block the escape of the flies and to contain them. Interesting "hunting" technique ....
ReplyDeleteExcellent photographs, Kaya ....
They have adapted to the environment.
ReplyDeleteSpectacular images!
Estupenda serie, los pájaros en medio de tantos insectos solo necesitan abrir la boca para llenarse el estomago.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo.
Bellisimas imagenes... Me encanta como los has captado
ReplyDeleteUn saludo
wow, great action shots - frenzy,
ReplyDelete