Challenge #31

[Grant Dixon]

The images for the 31st Challenge are now up.Ben Testa's image has
been submitted This is an image of a gull and while I am do not know where
Ben lives I will take a stab and .... Well I think it is a Lesser Black Back
Gull and if this is so it probable comes from Europe or the photo is a rarer
find on he eastern coast of North America. Can anyone nail this down,
before you make it an eagle on Pluto that is.

[url]http://home.cogeco.ca/~challenge/Challenges.html[/url]

Present and Past Challenges will remain Until tomorrow at 7:00 pm the then
the Present will be Past and new images will be posted.

* Important notice to all the new people in this forum. This is not a
close shop you are all invited to submit an image. If you don't think you
are good enough this is your first mistake, I think most have found that
working on the Challenge has improved their personal level. So young and
old, hot shots and cool dudes now is you time to post.
--
Grant

Home Pages [url]http://home.cogeco.ca/~grant.dixon/index.htm[/url]

Challenge Pages: [url]http://home.cogeco.ca/~challenge/[/url]

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Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while
discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us will put out more and
better ideas if our efforts are appreciated.

Alexander Osborn (1888 - 1966)

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[Jodi Frye]

possibility;

My guess;

Mew Gull; accidental seabird ( Nth Eurasia, n.w. N America ) Reported from a dozen states and provinces coastally from nfld to Nfld. to Fla.

[Grant Dixon]

Jodi

Good guess but I don't think this one is a Mew Gull. I do have a wonderful
sketch by a Paul Geraghty of Mew Gulls that I have been living with for a
bazillion years and I have got to know those little dears very well.

Grant

[Jane Carter]

This is a Great Black Back Gull. They are the most aggressive and successful gull beside our regular Herring Gulls here on Cape Cod.
And we do have gulls! Plenty of them! All kinds+ sizes.
They are huge and will take a lure right out of the air when you are casting.
They can be very aggressive towards other sea birds when hungry.

But, they are beautiful. The wingspan can be as large as our local Ospreys(fish hawks, or fish eagles, whatever you want to call them).

This is a great challenge! And indeed a great picture! They are so common here that I would have never thought to take a photo of one.
They will take a sandwich right out of your hand if you are eating your lunch on the roof of where my husband works in Woods Hole.
<http://www.pbase.com/image/21011386/large>
This is fun! Thanks for a great Challange picture!
Jane

[Chuck Snyder]

Tough call....need to know where seen. GBBG and LBBG seem most likely,
although there are some other species worldwide that look very similar.

[Grant Dixon]

Jane

Yup I will buy Great Black Back Gull as well as Lesser Back Gull and while I
have seen GBBG before I have never noticed the red on the bill. I guess I
am not as observant as I should be.

Grant

[Ben T]

California gull,Larus californicus

The seagull photo was taken at Ventura Harbor,Ventura CA, I live in Ventura.
I have seen it up and down the entire coast of California. The California gull, Larus californicus, was selected as the state bird of Utah by an act of the legislature in 1955 (Utah Code). ...

<http://pioneer.utah.gov/gull.html>

I feel honored to have my photo selected for the challenge.

Ben

[Jane Carter]

Hi Ben, It looks just exactly like our Eastern USA Great Black Back, anyway, your picture of the bird is superb! We don't have any crickets for them to eat, but that sure is interesting.
Jane

[Chuck Snyder]

Jane and Ben, the very dark back on Ben's gull is what fooled me. I've seen
California Gulls before - primarily in California - but the ones I observed
always had a middle gray back. Maybe just the lighting, or perhaps a
variant...

Chuck

[Juergen D]

Chuck,

I see you got into a fine line of business... Congratulations! :)

Juergen

[Chuck Snyder]

Juergen: ??

Chuck

[Juergen D]

Chuck,

Look at the latest Challenge entries.

Juergen

[Chuck Snyder]

Juergen - I just did!

Chris - what can I say but thanks for starting my day off with a great
laugh!!

:-) :-)

Chuck

[Chris Rankin]

That's what I'm here for.

CR

[Juergen D]

Chris,

That is so funny. I am really enjoying it!!

Juergen

[Chris Rankin]

Juergen,
Thanks. I had some fun at Chuck's expense back in #16 and the gull just lent itself to doing it again.Not having the talent that the rest of you have, I find that I have to resort to these type of images. Luckily, Chuck and Jodi are good sports about it.

CR

[Juergen D]

Chris,

It takes a lot of talent to come up with images like this. Special talent.
Just keep *resorting* to this type. I am having a great time looking at
them every week!

Juergen

[Jodi Frye]

I had started a Restaurant one last night but now it pails in comparison to Chris's...guess I'll have to 'spice' it up a bit ;)

Marylin...I LOVE the raincoat ! So cute !

edit...pale :)

[Chris Rankin]

Bob W.: nice blend-in on your #2, the shadow looks good.

Juergen : your background would have made a nice challenge. Is that yours?

CR

[Juergen D]

Chris,

Yes it is. Thank you for the compliment. It's an AM shot taken in Florida.
If at all possible, I try to use one of my own images in the Challenge
entries for background or as a part of it.

Juergen