I can't contribute to the parking lot question, but at Alki I suppose we see
more gulls on and around the water than birds of any other family. On a
number of occasions where I've observed birds working a "bait ball" I have
noted Mews in close proximity to other gulls, including Glaucus-winged,
Thayer's, and California. I suppose the food factor overcomes the fear
factor?



Gary T. Smith

Alki Point



From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis
Paulson
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 8:30 AM
To: TWEETERS tweeters
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Mew Gull's Don't



Jeff,



One reason might be because Mew Gulls are deathly afraid of the larger
species. It is a rare roost, in any habitat type, that contains both Mew and
Glaucous-winged. For years I have been looking for a photo op of both of
them standing together, and it still hasn't happened. I don't know if big
gulls would actually try a predation attempt or if they represent a source
of potential kleptoparasitism that is so guaranteed that the small gulls
just stay away from them. I don't even have a photo of the two flying
together, although I've been alert for that as well.



They also don't eat the same things. Mew Gulls do not come to thrown bread,
although everything else from Ring-billed size up does so, also Laughing
Gulls in the East. But not Bonaparte's, not Franklin's, and not Mew.
Probably not kittiwakes either, but I haven't had the pleasure of testing
that hypothesis. But not being stimulated to feed on the same things, maybe
roosting together isn't appropriate.



Now you're going to say that Mew Gulls still don't roost in parking lots
even when there isn't a big gull in sight, and I've got no glib answer to
that. They do roost on grass fields, plowed fields and sandy beaches, but
maybe their little feet are just too delicate for the tarmac. They also
roost on gravel beaches, but I don't recall if I have seen them on solid
rock substrates like where you see a lot of Heermann's and kittiwakes, as
well as large gulls, roosting on the outer coast. Maybe the parking lot just
looks like a rock substrate, and that's not where they rest.



There's another tweeters challenge - find and document Mew Gulls on a
parking lot!



Dennis



"Big gulls don't cry."--Fergie.





On Mar 14, 2012, at 11:26 PM, jeff gibson wrote:





Mew Gull's don't seem to like parking lots. Up here in Everett the 10th
street boatlaunch parking lot, several acres of tarmac, is often full of
parked gull's of most of the white-headed varieties. Mostly Glaucous-wings
(and hybrids) and Ring-billed, along with occasional California, Herring,
Thayer's, Heerman's, or Glaucous, depending on season. And in season
Caspian Terns also park out there. But just about never a Mew.
I can't say they won't, but Mew's just don't seem to be the parking type.
Immediately North of the parking lot are the tidal 'maulsby mud-flats'.
Plenty of Mew Gull's out there in Winter, only yards away sometimes, from
the parking lot. It does seem that there's more of them congregated near
freshwater rivulets on the North side of the flats, if that means anything,
but then all the other gull's are out there with them.



The lot being a popular human gull-feeder spot, possibly there's some gull
union action going on that Mews aren't members of, like the "United
White-head's for White bread" union. Whateverett.



Jeff Gibson

Everett Wa

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-----

Dennis Paulson

1724 NE 98 St.

Seattle, WA 98115

206-528-1382

dennispaulson at comcast.net