MA - Bonaparte's Gull - Gill

Bonaparte's Gull - adult-type, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 6th, 2012. 

Digi-scoped shot using Panasonic Lumix FZ7 hand-held against Swarovski scope.

The first really cold morning of the autumn so far, a mere 18 degrees F at first light. It was crisp, clear and windless so my expectations were quite low for Barton Cove this morning. However, the day was brightened by yet another small gull of interest after yesterday's Black-legged Kittiwake. This time it was a Bonaparte's Gull which spent all of its time roosting with less than a dozen Ring-billed Gulls. I've only seen a handful of Bonaparte's at Barton Cove, both in spring and autumn and they've usually been related to storms, so again this bird could be re-orienting after Hurricane Sandy. 

Elsewhere on the cove, a nice flock of 11 Green-winged Teal plus singles of Greater and Lesser Scaup, 4 Ruddy Ducks, and 4 Hooded and 3 Common Mergansers. 

Earlier, I had huge flock of about 40 Wild Turkeys walking single file across River Road in Gill right in front of my car and took this shot through the car windscreen. 

JPS