Ryan (and others),

This is similar gull behavior to what I witnessed during Michigan winters. The bubblers used to keep ice from forming around dock pilings and boats keep the water open in a protected area (marina/cove) where these little oases provide (in this case) the Ivory Gull reprieve from the winds and weather, a rooftop roost, and open water in a relatively small area for fishing with protection from larger gulls and eagles which are competing heavily for food down at the dam.

Anyone living near or visiting large bodies of water where there are marinas that may have bubblers in use during these frigid periods may want to focus their efforts there or at least begin/end your search at these locations - with the thought of smaller gull species in mind.

Just my two-cents on the subject. The above is how I was able to relocate the Ivory Gull Tuesday and capture the earlier shared images of this arctic angel.

Good birding!

Chris Barrigar

Cole Co.
Russellville, MO
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]

"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." JOHN MUIR

> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2015 17:12:46 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Ivory Gull in IL
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> The Ivory Gull was showing well at close range this morning from at least 9:20-10:30am at the marina on Quinissippi Island in Illinois. There were two areas of open water that the gull was successfully catching fish from.
>
> Good birding,
> Ryan Douglas
> Boone Co.
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The Audubon Society of Missouri's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
> List archives: https://po.missouri.edu/archives/mobirds-l.html
> ABA Birding Code of Ethics
> http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html