December 30, 2025

I normally don't title the poem of the day, but I thought today I would make an exception:

Why Bird Counts are Difficult

__________________________

I am known as a Laughing Gull

Hey! What a coincidence, so am I

Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! Me too! 

Enough already! Dee's calling it 1005.

Location: Cocoa Landfill

Sources: https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

November 9, 2024

I am a sick Laughing Gull

What's wrong is hard to say

I might have a disease or a predator got me

I'm not long for this world either way.

Location: Ponce Inlet

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/laugul/cur/behavior#predat

Photo and text © 2024 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

November 8, 2024

I am known as a Laughing Gull 

I'm preening so he will adore me -

I want to look my best for Amar Ayyash

When he comes to Space Coast to tell you gull stories.

Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival will be January 22-26, 2025, and reknowned gull expert Amar Ayyash will be one of our keynote speakers. Go here for details and be sure to register early for the festival so you don't miss anything!

Location: Ponce Inlet

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Laughing_Gull/id

Photo and text © 2024 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

March 6, 2023

I am known as a Laughing Gull

But I'm missing a foot and not laughing about it

It's difficult to balance on a windy beach

But I'll have to learn to get along without it.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.thespruce.com/one-legged-birds-386471

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

March 5, 2023

We are a Willet and 2 Laughing Gulls - 

One adult and one immature

We might look like three seagulls

To an untrained observateur.

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sources: https://www.audubon.org/news/this-new-guide-finally-simplifies-gull-ids

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

December 30, 2022

We are different ages of Laughing Gulls

Second winter, non-breeding adult, and Juvenile

Depending on age, our whole family can look like strangers -

We understand if your state is confusional.

Location: Jetty Park, Fort Pierce

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Laughing_Gull/id

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

June 17, 2021

I am known as a Laughing Gull

I'm mostly found on the coast

I wear a black hood when I'm breeding

The girls all think I am the most!

Location: Fort De Soto State Park

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Larus_atricilla/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

October 10, 2019

Location: Jetty Park, Fort Pierce

I am known as a Laughing Gull
Today I'm looking a tad morose
I'm wearing my non-breeding plumage
Cause no one's clicked on my Tinder post.

(But seriously, check out the link below for a good comparison of the many different plumages of the Laughing Gull throughout it's life.)

Sources: eBird Laughing Gull Photos

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

October 3, 2019

Location: Fort Pierce Inlet State Park

Here in front, I'm an adult Laughing Gull,
Behind me is a first year bird.
We like to eat insects, crustaceans, and...
Heck, we eat everything, even earth worms.

Winners of yesterday's contest were Cindy V. and Joy H., both of whom submitted the correct answer, Double Crested Cormorant at exactly 11:19. Cindy, drop me an email with your snail mail calendar and I'll get that right off to  you.

Sources: Cornell Lab All About Birds Laughing Gull

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 31, 2019

Location: Merritt Island, Indian River

You might mistake me for a Franklin’s Gull
In fact I wouldn’t doubt it.
But I am actually a Laughing Gull
And there’s nothing funny about it. 

Sources: Cornell Lab All About Birds - Compare Laughing Gull and Franklin’s Gull

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson