The Ring-billed Gull is so common in the late summer and fall that it becomes almost invisible. It is just here and it is usually around the water. Yet, now and then, it provides delightful views. Such was the case when one was seen hunting fish in a shallow lake-side pond.
Now the gull has problems: It has no teeth and so it must capture the fish and swallow it whole; and it has no hands to adjust the fish into the proper position for eating.
The Ring-billed gull dives for something under water.
It comes up with a struggling fish and a good deal of lake weed. Photo by Cynthia Fraser.
The fish struggles but is firmly gripped. Photo by Cynthia.
The gull seems to just wait for the fish to die before trying to swallow it.
The trick is to align it with the bill and then swallow.
Thank you Cynthia for this entertaining view of the gull. He/ she seems pretty determined to have that fish!
Amazing!! Thank you for a view into the difficulties and challenges of being a gull!
Great sequence of photos. I always find it alarming to see a gull swallow a starfish. That is a lengthy and arduous endeavour.