AND THEN, I saw new life bird: an adult great black-backed gull. I was absolutely excited and thrilled and had no one to share this with (another life theme at this point), but exclaimed out loud to myself. It flew back and forth and I saw it several times...a deep dark, nearly black mantle with a narrow white band on the lower wing edges and white tips at the end of its long wings. This bird is uncommon here so I feel gifted.
I also noticed an odd little quirk several times on random gulls in the wind: they would be nearly motionless and would give their legs a little shake and I am just now wondering if they were getting rid of water droplets which could freeze fairly fast in the wind and cold up in the sky.