During winter, the Bonaparte’s Gull can be found on ocean coasts, lakes, and rivers. But these beautiful gulls breed and nest in the boreal forest, the only gull species that regularly nests in trees. They can move with tern-like agility, capturing flying insects and grabbing tiny fish from the water with ease. Around Banff, we generally get to see them during spring migration. A few weeks back, snowstorms brought several thousand waterfowl to open lakes and rivers. For a few days, we got to see Bonaparte’s Gulls throughout the Bow Valley. One late afternoon, I watched three of them spring out of the water to plunge their whole heads into the water to grab food. In this image, the Canada Goose seems to be watching this feat.
