What kind of birds?

[diaba]

So beautiful, saw a flock of bright white birds, with some black, and slight yellow on the underside of their wings. They were far overhead, and looked the size of very large gulls, but not big as pelicans.

They barely flapped their wings, just once here and there, mostly soaring. Just wondering what kind they might be. Saw them in northwest santa rosa by the creekside trails.

thanks.

[Victoria Street]

So beautiful, saw a flock of bright white birds, with some black, and slight yellow on the underside of their wings. They were far overhead, and looked the size of very large gulls, but not big as pelicans.

They barely flapped their wings, just once here and there, mostly soaring. Just wondering what kind they might be. Saw them in northwest santa rosa by the creekside trails.

thanks.

Perhaps it is The Great Egret...?

[Dixon]

Perhaps it is The Great Egret...?

I doubt they were egrets. I haven't heard of egrets flying in flocks, though they do nest together in rookeries. And I don't think the egret's coloration is as described. My guess (and it's only a guess, 'cause my birding savvy is quite limited) is that they were some species of gull. Gulls come in lots of different plumages; typically each species has at least three different plumages, at different stages of their lives, and that's not even counting their initial nestling feathers. For that reason, lightweight birders like myself don't even try to learn to identify the various species of gull. But I'd bet that some more knowledgeable birder around here could tell you what species of gull they were...

[Victoria Street]

I bet you're right, Dixon - although I found this interesting tidbit on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology site. I don't think that I have ever witnessed a colony of egrets in flight, but what a sight it must be!

Migration
Resident to medium-distance migrant. Most Great Egrets move south for winter, traveling as far as the West Indies or southern Central America. They migrate by day in small flocks. During mild years, Great Egrets may stay as far north as Massachusetts. Individuals from the southern U.S. may not migrate at all. In late summer and fall, Great Egrets range widely over the continent.

I doubt they were egrets. I haven't heard of egrets flying in flocks, though they do nest together in rookeries. And I don't think the egret's coloration is as described. My guess (and it's only a guess, 'cause my birding savvy is quite limited) is that they were some species of gull. Gulls come in lots of different plumages; typically each species has at least three different plumages, at different stages of their lives, and that's not even counting their initial nestling feathers. For that reason, lightweight birders like myself don't even try to learn to identify the various species of gull. But I'd bet that some more knowledgeable birder around here could tell you what species of gull they were...

[Dixon]

Migration
Resident to medium-distance migrant. Most Great Egrets move south for winter, traveling as far as the West Indies or southern Central America. They migrate by day in small flocks. During mild years, Great Egrets may stay as far north as Massachusetts. Individuals from the southern U.S. may not migrate at all. In late summer and fall, Great Egrets range widely over the continent.

Well then, possibly you're right about their having been egrets, though the color description still seems wrong for egrets.

[diaba]

Hi, thanks for the replies. they didn't look like egrets, though would love to see of flock of them! After looking at several bird sites I think they're a type of gull, but I can't find a picture to match them. Didn't look like the seagulls I grew up with and see around here.

I saw the flock twice, once by highway 12 between Sebastopol and west santa rosa, and then by the creek trail later.

I hope you see them, really quite beautiful.

[amical]

Yesterday I was in Petaluma late afternoon near Washington Street and the freeway and saw a flock of birds circling high in the sky, and commented on it to my son and his partner. They were into a hot game of ping pong, so didn't look too carefully, but they didn't know. I thought they might be white pelicans, but no black wing tips, and not all were white. They weren't big enough for them either. I thought they were perhaps sea gulls, but I've not usually seen them in that type of soaring behavior. Maybe they were just out enjoying a lovely afternoon excursion away from the beach!

[Victoria Street]

Yesterday I was in Petaluma late afternoon ...

Perhaps they were contemplating a trip to the dump! It's been a while since I've been out to the Meacham road station, but I remember those gulls as being ginormous! I think Dixon was right several posts back - and perhaps these were gulls as well. I don't know if they play ping pong, though...

[joybird]

White pelicans are seen in that area- google their images.

Joy

[JoeNagy]

I'm not sure if you found out what kind of birds they were. I did catch a photo of these White Pelicans near the Delta Pond off of willow side Road in Santa Rosa

So beautiful, saw a flock of bright white birds, with some black, and slight yellow on the underside of their wings. They were far overhead, and looked the size of very large gulls, but not big as pelicans.

They barely flapped their wings, just once here and there, mostly soaring. Just wondering what kind they might be. Saw them in northwest santa rosa by the creekside trails.

thanks.

[photolite]

This looks like a crane to me.

Perhaps it is The Great Egret...?

[joybird]

But they ARE white pelicans.

This looks like a crane to me.