FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Winter gull influx increases

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The influx of winter gull populations in our ridge and valley region evidently 
began during the past few days.   I found fair numbers of Ring-billed Gulls at 
Boone Lake in Sullivan Co.  Saturday.   Walmart's parking lot on the Volunteer 
Parkway had a small flocks of about 30 birds (I have seen little commercial lot 
use this year).

Middlebrook Lake (Bristol TN) is usually the best count sample reflective of 
the region.  This morning (Jan. 9) there were 600 Ring-billed Gulls at 
Middlebrook.  This is  30 percent more than the total found by six parties 
taking part in the Bristol Christmas Bird Count circle on Jan. 1. 

Middlebrook Lake is a rock's throw from the large Bristol Virginia regional 
landfill which is across the hill.  The landfill is a feeding and concentration 
area for winter gulls.

Also had 7 Bonaparte's Gull at Middlebrook and 5 Hooded Mergansers.

Let's go birding......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN