Window To Our Wetlands: May 2010

Ruff photo by Jacqueline Cestero

(Anguilla National Trust) - After a busy migration season, Anguilla’s salt ponds were relatively quiet – total number of birds observed was just under 1700, a decline of almost 1 000 birds from last month. Despite the low numbers the usual wetland birds (the stilts, ducks, sandpipers, and plovers), hundreds of least terns and laughing gulls are settling on Anguilla’s ponds for the summer. On Long Salt Pond in the Farrington, a male Ruff was spotted displaying its breeding plumage and foraging in the shallow water for insects. This species is a rare visitor to Anguilla and has only been seen once before in 2000.

Wetland Bird Monitoring Dates: Wednesday 28 April – Friday 30 April 2010

What to Watch For: Laughing Gull

Laughing Gull photo by Jacqueline Cestero.

The Laughing gull is a medium size gull that, as an adult, ranges between 15 and 18 inches. With a wingspan of 37 to 42 inches, its flight is light and it can often be seen along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts as well as those of some Caribbean islands, including Anguilla.
 

The adult Laughing gull has a black hood, smokey grey wings, black wingtips, and white underparts and tail. Its legs are black and during the breeding season, its usually black bill turns red.
 

Juvenile Laughing gulls are dusky brown with a grey-brown head that is slightly paler on the forehead and chin. Black spots are evident in front of the eyes while white crescents can be seen above and below them.
 

During the spring and fall migration, Laughing gulls tend to be found primarily along coastlines, in estuaries, and along the continental shelf. During the winter, they can be seen in estuaries and bays and for those in the Caribbean during the nesting season, they are often found in rocky and vegetated areas, often on offshore cays.
 

Laughing gulls are known to nest on Anguilla’s offshore cays. Both males and females build their nests together, usually on a grassy platform. They may lay between two and four eggs and the nesting season tends to occur between April and May in the Caribbean. After hatching, young may stay near the nest and their parents for up to five weeks. They will stay around the coastline where they were born until the fall migration.
 

Laughing gulls are omnivorous – they eat both marine and terrestrial invertebrates, fish, squid, flying insects, garbage, and berries. They normally feed close to the water’s edge although they do venture in-land particularly during high tides and strong winds. They forage while walking or swimming and they are known to steal food from terns and from pelicans.
 

During the May count, a total 195 Laughing Gulls were observed on Anguilla’s ponds, with the most being recorded on Road Pond (77), Savannah Pond (on the Golf Course) (59), and Cove Pond (23). 341 Laughing gulls were also seen at the Corito landfill.
 

For more information about the Anguilla National Trust’s monthly wetland bird monitoring programme or to learn how to become involved, please contact the Trust at 497 5297. To become a fan and to receive regular updates on Trust activities, search for the Anguilla National Trust on www.facebook.com.