"I thought it was supposed to be summer!&quot

So responds the Red-Billed Gull to the chilling southerly blowing through Oamaru this afternoon. Burrrr.

I only caught this moment and other similarly amusing shots today because the BlipBigYear challenge had me out there trying to nab the Red Bill for The List. Thank goodness for the motivation, driving me to see things I otherwise would have missed.

Species previously blipped 23 November 2012.

P.S. A weird Twilight Zone moment occurring now as I write this entry.... While I was out watching the birds I was thinking about songs I sing wrong on purpose, supplanting gull names for the actual words. Katy Perry's "California Gurls" becomes Larus californicus, that is, "California Gulls." The other: "West End Girls," which turns into another California species, "Western Gulls." And lo and behold, here is Pet Shop Boys crooning over the radio waves....