It was January 6, 2021, when I photographed this immature American Herring Gull testing the ice at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I’d left home while it was still dark and the stars were visible in the night sky. When the sun peeked over the Wasatch Mountains I had just turned west to head out to the auto tour loop at the refuge. It was a bright, beautiful, and serene morning. Or so I thought.
Immature American Herring Gull testing the ice – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Because I pretty much had the auto tour loop to myself, I took my time photographing the birds I found out on the marshes. I listened to the ice cracking, my tires crunching on the snowy road, and the calls of the birds that rang over the marsh.
Before I found this young American Herring Gull I photographed a few Rough-legged Hawks, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, a few Northern Harriers and a single Barn Owl from a great distance.
On the west side of the auto tour loop I found Ring-billed, California and American Herring Gulls feeding, resting, and congregating on ice shelves near stretches of open water. I had a blast photographing all of the gulls there that cold but peaceful morning. I love gulls and I’ll photograph them whenever I have the opportunity. I believe that gulls are every bit as beautiful and fascinating as any other bird species I find in my viewfinder. I don’t drive or walk past them without taking at least a few images of gulls.
I came across this American Herring Gull image yesterday while looking at images I had taken on January 6th of past years and decided to share it today. I loved how the gull’s left foot was raised and how it looked like the gull was testing the strength of the ice at the water’s edge.
After a wonderfully quiet morning spent on the marsh with the birds I headed home feeling calm, delighted, and rejuvenated.
I didn’t know what was happening at our nation’s capitol on that date until after I returned home. When I got back home I felt terror as I watched the live videos of the January 6th insurrection at our nation’s capitol. I was horrified.
Today some of the people serving in public office still support the actions of the violent insurrectionists that invaded our capitol on that infamous day. Those people aren’t patriots. They are traitors.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Herring Gulls photos plus facts and information about this species.
Agree with you 100%, Mia. What’s been going on in the House this week is another cautionary tale for democracy.
Thank you for this gorgeous photo. That day was a very, very bad one in the political arena, and I still find it mind boggling how few of the participants have faced justice.
I love this photo of the Herring Gull. As a Canadian I felt the same horror as most people in the USA in watching the insurrection. Yes, they are traitors. It boggles my mind that they keep getting elected.
It boggles my mind, too. Appalling.
Mia—you continue to be a ray of sunshine in these dreary times.