Bayview Ave Marshes 2/16--Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull with Ring-billed Gull and Mallards

I thought that a thoroughly unpleasant day was going to keep me housebound, but mid-morning there was a break in the rain, so I thought that I'd try, for the second time, the marshes on Bayview Avenue in Berkeley to look for the Black-headed Gull that has been there for last week or so.  Last week, when I tried on another rain-soaked day, the marshes there were devoid of any gulls. Today, when I pulled up, I saw a few Ring-billed Gulls floating in the high water and then, before I even got out of the car, I saw a smaller gull off to the right. Before I could form the thought, "There it is," it got up and flew, and before I could form the thought "*!&#!" it plunked down in the marsh next to a Ring-bill and a Mallard. It was pretty far away and the mist, murk, and generally lousy light give my camera much of a chance, but the field marks can be readily seen, especially the red bill and the patch behind the eye. 

With hen Hooded Merganser

The bird flew off toward Brennan Concourse, so I took the opportunity to walk the length of the marsh, picking up a few more species, including four noisy Greater Yellowlegs. I found the Black-headed Gull again, swimming along with a hen Hooded Merganser. When I turned around and went back to my car the section of the marsh where I first saw the gull, Mallards, Ring-bills, and Great Blue Heron, was completely empty. Only a Mourning Dove cooed on a power line. Maybe a raptor did a flyby while I was on the other side.  Which shows how much timing (called "luck") is involved in this birding stuff. 

Of course, in winter, and most of the year, I suppose, Black-headed Gulls don't have black heads. Of course, in breeding plumage, Black-headed Gulls don't have black heads either. They're a distinct chocolate brown. So why aren't they called Brown-headed Gulls? You'll have to ask the guy who described them in a badly lit lab.