Well that's a new one on me!

Cobra

Cobra

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As most of you know its been blistering hot the last couple of days, a short sharp shower ( well downpour actually)
A couple or so hours ago, and the and the ants got busy taking to the sky's.
Nothing unusual there ... Rain does seem to trigger that re-action.

Very shortly after, about 100 gulls mostly Black heads appeared over head, they were most certainly chasing the ants.
There was no other reason for the aerobatics.

I've worked around gulls for a lot of years ( as some of you know) and I've certainly never seen this before!
 
Mr Badger said:
Suppose it makes a change from holidaymakers' ice creams and chips!
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That's a hell of a lot of effort for such a tiny snack ..
But then they do feed peanuts to Elephants :D
 
I've not seen this specifically with flying ants but sometime in most summers there will be a day when gulls are circling and obviously catching something. They are always too high to see what it is they are after, but flying ants would make sense - a sudden outpouring of potential food.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
sometime in most summers there will be a day when gulls are circling and obviously catching something.
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Gulls will thermal on hot days, for the cooler air, (or anyday come to that with an up draft) and for checking out a food source.
These were acting like Swallows and Swifts.
The only other time I've seen them maneuver like that is with a longwing up their arse :D
 
Your post reminds of seeing a small flock (approx 30 off) of Starlings flying in a random & erratic pattern and that make me think of Swallows catching flies on the wing. First time I recall seeing that.

Plus, on holiday a few weeks back when I was working on Swallows in Flight I realised I caught a Stonechat also trying to catch flies on the wing!
 
Box Brownie said:
Your post reminds of seeing a small flock (approx 30 off) of Starlings flying in a random & erratic pattern and that make me think of Swallows catching flies on the wing. First time I recall seeing that.
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When every I see birds acting erratically, I check the sky's above them for a predator, starlings will also swirl about and move in an erratic mass to confuse a predator,
(AKA Spar) it makes it harder for them to "lock on" to one particular target.

Normally the starlings are on the ground here, picking them off before they get on the wing.
I guess they got lost today :(
 
Cobra said:
That's a hell of a lot of effort for such a tiny snack ..
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Not sure birds think like that. When I had Maran hens, which are big, they would spend/waste a lot of time chasing tiny flies that were almost invisible even though they had plenty of feed. It may be variety, tastiness or even just good fun!
 
sphexx said:
Not sure birds think like that. When I had Maran hens, which are big, they would spend/waste a lot of time chasing tiny flies that were almost invisible even though they had plenty of feed. It may be variety, tastiness or even just good fun!
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I know that hens love to chase and enjoy a variety (y)
But gulls tend to be lazy, there is a landfill site about 2 miles as the gulls fly, and that is exactly the direction they came from ..
Oh well, they say you live and learn, perhaps it was a bit like a Tapas bar to them :D
 
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We've got a field behind the house and a few times a year we get a load of gulls circling at about 20-30ft and I've always guessed it was insects they were after
 
sirch said:
We've got a field behind the house and a few times a year we get a load of gulls circling at about 20-30ft and I've always guessed it was insects they were after
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Was that after it was ploughed? or mown short?
The only time I ever see feeding Gulls leave a landfill is to follow a local guy ploughing a field.
 
Cobra said:
When every I see birds acting erratically, I check the sky's above them for a predator, starlings will also swirl about and move in an erratic mass to confuse a predator,
(AKA Spar) it makes it harder for them to "lock on" to one particular target.

Normally the starlings are on the ground here, picking them off before they get on the wing.
I guess they got lost today :(
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Ah! point taken....thinking back I had clear view of the sky above them and nothing obvious above but of course could have been a Sprawk somewhere???
 
Cobra said:
Was that after it was ploughed? or mown short?
The only time I ever see feeding Gulls leave a landfill is to follow a local guy ploughing a field.
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It's a meadow and it never gets ploughed, doesn't even get cut some years if they graze it. We are close to the coast but the gulls don't normally go in or over the field at all, just a few times each year we get may be 50-100 circling for an hour or so, they don't land.
 
I think this explains what I saw this evening. The ants flew from a nest near the back of the house and I saw a flock of gulls weaving and diving about 30 to 40 metres above not long afterwards. Presumably the nest close to me was far from being the only one local to me and the gulls were taking advantage.
 
Box Brownie said:
but of course could have been a Sprawk somewhere???
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Quite possibly
sirch said:
We are close to the coast but the gulls don't normally go in or over the field at all, just a few times each year we get may be 50-100 circling for an hour or so, they don't land.
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Interesting, I only every really get to "Interact" with the things on a landfill, or transfer stations ( AKA recycling centers) its good to get different view points on feeding habits (y)

Earley Man said:
Presumably the nest close to me was far from being the only one local to me and the gulls were taking advantage.
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Basically, All the nests withing close proximity synchronise within a few hours, They mate on the wing, the males die, soon after the females land, lose their wings and become new queens.
 
I've noticed they seem more aggressive recently. They were taking food off peoples plates at a beachfront restaurant near me the other day. People were trying to hide their food.
The owner told me they'd considered trying to net the area but he was told they just rip the nets to get through.
 
Cobra said:
I saw that and having watched Gulls tearing at huge chunks of meat on a landfill I doubt they'll see their dog again.
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Local news has reported that Gizmo's leg might have turned up on a roof near a gull nest - so they'll see a bit of him!
 
You ought to be here on flying ant day , anyone that has been to mine will know I live on a hill top with unrestricted views along the river Dee estuary probably about 15 miles + in any direction . Flying ant days will see the skies crowded with literally thousands of gulls of all types it’s a local spectacle one I suppose I ought To make a video of one day.
My local gull population is well trained to if I go out to the car they ignore me if I cross the road to the common carrying a half a loaf of bread I will have a few hundred wheeling overhead in minutes .
 
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