On my regular journeys across the Great Plains, I am always hopeful to experience an unusual sighting or, better yet, a true wildlife spectacle (usually avian in nature). Today's reward came in Abilene, Kansas.
Unfazed by a chilly drizzle and a steady north wind, a massive flock of Franklin's gulls swirled above the Interstate. Having summered across the Northern Plains, these prairie gulls are on their way to the western coast of South America where they will spend the winter.
Since they feed primarily on insects, often following tractors as they plow fields or harvest crops, today's weather likely forced them to feed directly on the muddy fields. In contrast to our persistent drought in Missouri, Kansas has clearly received plenty of rain, as evidenced by swollen lakes and soggy farmlands.
