Gulls, Gulls, Gulls

I cycled north to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary this evening to check on the large numbers of gulls that congregate at the sanctuary each spring, stopping to drink and bathe on the gravel bars on their way to and from the East Calgary Landfill. Locking my bike at the interpretive centre I made my way to the river; a female Hooded Merganser was on the lagoon and a couple of White-crowned Sparrows were found along the path. Arriving at the river I set up my scope and tripod and began scanning, almost immediately a very pale gull caught my eye. After studying its plumage for a moment I realized it was a second-year Iceland Gull! While enjoying the gull another birder, Ray, came over to where I was standing, he had just found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull upstream! Quickly walking to where he had his scope set up, I was soon watching the gull as it preened and bathed. As the sun got closer to setting gulls started leaving the gravel bars, headed towards the Glenmore Reservoir to roost for the night. The Iceland Gull departed without us noticing, while the Lesser Black-backed Gull flew to another gravel bar at the south end of the sanctuary. Following the gull, we headed downstream and quickly relocated the bird before it flew off for the night. Scanning the few remaing gulls Ray found an adult Thayer's Gull, its dark eye obvious even in the waning light. After ensuring my bike lights were working properly I made my way home with the last remnants of daylight.