Sea Gulls using Thermals (1 Viewer)

[Cosworthlady]

Yesterday i seen something quite bizarre. There were around 60/70 sea gulls high in the sky moving as one mass. Like a big sea gull cloud. It made us all stop in our stride. is this common? I took a video and will upload it in a day or two. It was really fascinating to watch them move slowly yet still remain in their tight bunch. bizarre!

Ann

 

[RecoveringScot]

Yesterday i seen something quite bizarre. There were around 60/70 sea gulls high in the sky moving as one mass. Like a big sea gull cloud. It made us all stop in our stride. is this common? I took a video and will upload it in a day or two. It was really fascinating to watch them move slowly yet still remain in their tight bunch. bizarre!

Ann

Seagulls soaring is quite common. Seagulls bunching up in a mass suggests there was a predator around, one which seagulls are wary of. I suspect hunting Peregrine (gulls know when Pergrines are just passing by).

By the way gulls can give definite signs that alert you to predators as well. Black-headed Gulls fly in a huge wide arc with extremely deep, slow wingbeats - really exaggeratedly deep and slow, like terns in slow motion.

It's always worth looking above and below soaring gulls anyway. Buzzard and Osprey are regularly seen around soaring gull flocks.

Other species have ways of flying too. Swallows and Swifts will fly at speed all in the same direction, in formation, at once when a threatening predator is around (with Buzzards and other bigger raptors they just usually form a halo round the bird).

Cheers,

 

[Cosworthlady]

Hya Phil.

I'm pretty sure there were no BoP around. These gulls were just slowly sauntering overhead with no panic or rush. i think the resident gulls were a tad alarmed but the ones way up high just moved very slowly as one unit to another part of the sky. Is there any way at all they would eat insects? On second thoughts that's a really daft question isn't it ha ha ha. I'm trying to upload a video but don't have much luck usually without converting it first. i have googled and found a single youtube video with exactly the same thing but in America. I've scoured the internet for other ideas but came up empty handed. I've lived in Pilton for years and years and i can't recall ever seeing anything quite like this. It was exceptionally hot which is why i thought it was thermals. if i upload it successfully I'll post a link here and in ex beebers.

Ann

PS google seagulls thermals and look for the youtube clip.

 

[Birdspotter]

Yesterday i seen something quite bizarre. There were around 60/70 sea gulls high in the sky moving as one mass. Like a big sea gull cloud. It made us all stop in our stride. is this common? I took a video and will upload it in a day or two. It was really fascinating to watch them move slowly yet still remain in their tight bunch. bizarre!

Ann

This is a quite regular phenomena at this time of year as large numbers of hatching insects such as flying Ants take to the wing and rise up in the thermals created by the heat, the Gulls then utilise this food source.

In the last few days here in west Edinburgh this has been seen most evenings with mostly B-h Gulls but also Herring, LBB and Common in smaller numbers, weather forcast for the week is hot sunny days with thunder storms forcast so looks good for further activity.

 

[Cosworthlady]

This is a quite regular phenomena at this time of year as large numbers of hatching insects such as flying Ants take to the wing and rise up in the thermals created by the heat, the Gulls then utilise this food source.

In the last few days here in west Edinburgh this has been seen most evenings with mostly B-h Gulls but also Herring, LBB and Common in smaller numbers, weather forcast for the week is hot sunny days with thunder storms forcast so looks good for further activity.

Its maybe regular there in the West but I've not seen as many as this before LOL. Now that you've confirmed that they do eat insects i don't feel so stupid telling you that one gull followed a swift and nearly crashed into my building where the swifts nest. It missed killing itself by inches!!. It was like a huge swift LOL. I never knew gulls ate insects. How absolutely brilliant. They don't get the credit they deserve for being so clever and adaptable.

On the video clip i am trying to upload you can hear passers by commenting on the birds too. It'll take a edinburgher to understand what they're saying though ha ha ha.

A fabulous sight.

Ann

 

[Cosworthlady]

The clip.......

http://www.birdforum.tv/members/action/viewvideo/750/A_flock_of_seagulls/

 

[Birdspotter]

Yep feeding on insects as I said!

From one ex Muirhouse lad to a Piltoner I understand the dialect just fine!

 

[fugl]

This is a quite regular phenomena at this time of year as large numbers of hatching insects such as flying Ants take to the wing and rise up in the thermals created by the heat, the Gulls then utilise this food source.

In the last few days here in west Edinburgh this has been seen most evenings with mostly B-h Gulls but also Herring, LBB and Common in smaller numbers, weather forcast for the week is hot sunny days with thunder storms forcast so looks good for further activity.

As you say, gulls hawking flying insects is a regular phenomenon. Here are notes I took many years ago at Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve (Aug 3rd, 1975)--
"Big gull flock (c.40 Common + c.100 BH) hawking for flying ants in sandy areas along NE edge of reserve (hot & sunny with no wind & the ants were swarming in very large numbers). Swallows, House Martins & Swifts (latter very numerous) were hunting same prey. Both gull speciess fed exclusively on wing, snapping up the insects at heights 25-50' or more".

And here's a photo of a Franklin's Gull caught in the act on this side of the water: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/2381093157/in/set-72157602214643626/

 

[Birdspotter]

As you say, gulls hawking flying insects is a regular phenomenon. Here are notes I took many years ago at Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve (Aug 3rd, 1975)--
"Big gull flock (c.40 Common + c.100 BH) hawking for flying ants in sandy areas along NE edge of reserve (hot & sunny with no wind & the ants were swarming in very large numbers). Swallows, House Martins & Swifts (latter very numerous) were hunting same prey. Both gull speciess fed exclusively on wing, snapping up the insects at heights 25-50' or more".

And here's a photo of a Franklin's Gull caught in the act on this side of the water: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/2381093157/in/set-72157602214643626/

Cheers for that blast from the past in your notebook, which goes to show folks just what a good information tool a notebook is:t:

Also thanks for the stunning shots:t:

 

[KnockerNorton]

as suggested, sounds just like a flying ant feeding flock. Ants have been taking wing en masse this past week or two, and gulls are loving it.

 

[motti]

Seagulls and thermals

I've noticed this behaviour.

I don't think its because they are feeding on ants.

I live in Liverpool.

When I've seen them they appear from the river estuary to the east then soar high into the sky until they become dots. They then glide towards the west. I interpret this as moving from the food rich estuary when the tide comes in, then on to find agricultural land to the east. Tide times seem to confirm this.This way of moving is superbly intelligent - minimal energy input needed for the vertical lift - and minimal energy required for the glide.