The birds that most people often simply refer to as 'seagulls' are actually comprised of dozens of species spread across the globe. In Vermont, the most common gull is probably the Ring-billed Gull.
Ring-billed Gulls are opportunistic and have adapted well to the human-altered landscape. They make themselves at home in fast food parking lots, landfills, farm fields, and wherever else they can find an easy meal. But in Winooski, I was thrilled to watch a feeding frenzy of gulls in their 'natural habitat'.
Their aerial acrobatics were astonishing. As they floated through the sky, they seemed equally able to spot tiny fish in the raging current as they were to spot a competitor's catch that they might be able to steal. I spent over an hour photographing these gulls as they fed.
 |
| Can you spot the fish? |
 |
| Thieves everywhere! |
 |
| Attempting to go in for the steal... |
 |
| ...and a lucky fish gets away |
