So, going back to the UK presented me with a bit of a problem - identification (more or less) relies on practice, and I was well out of it!
These images were all taken on, around or over Seahouses harbour. Seahouses is only just south of the Scottish boarder on the east coast. It's not a bad place for gulls.
First we have Black-Headed Gulls - Larus ridibundus - which actually have a brown head! This is a very common gull in the UK.
Next we have some Herring Gulls - Larus argentatus - whose call is beloved of all coastal TV programs, even those that come from places this gull does not!
And last we have a Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus - in flight. I think that the yellow beak and legs provide the ID for this species.
As ever, all of the pictures look better bigger!
Now it's over to you - click on the little blue button at the bottom of the page join in. Thanks to all those who spread theWBW word last week - lets keep growing! Cheers SM.
love the fence line-up!
ReplyDeleteI understand the LBBG but the BHGU? If it has a brown head....wouldn't it be a Brown-headed Gull? Sometimes bird names don't sense.....take for example the Ring-necked Duck? That duck as a ring around the bill?!!!
ReplyDeleteI love gulls! These are the most common gulls in Finland as well. The black headed gull is called a "laughing gull" in both Swedish and Finnish. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Stewart Yes I also like gulls and today for the first time, with my new 'replaced camera' - (got water in the last one!), I went out to the walled garden and around the coast and photographs the flowers and some gulls. All of your shots are terrific. Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gulls! I've never seen the ones in the first shots!! Terrific captures as always, Stewart! Hope your week is going well!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots as always, Stewart. I have never seen Black-headed (brown headed) Gulls Love the row of gulls on the fence post. I'll link up my rather long post tomorrow. Greetings Jo
ReplyDeleteNice introduction Stewart to 3 of our regular species.
ReplyDeleteNow when you include Common, Great Black-backed, plus Yellow-legged and Mediterranean with their various plumage from 1 to 4 years the ID challenge gets very interesting!
Gulls...always a favorite to watch!!! You have some wonderful images Stewart.
ReplyDeleteheel mooi ,maar om er zo mooi 10 op een rij te ktijgen.,prachtig.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention their calls. My wife and I fell in love with that sound when we moved to Florida.
ReplyDeleteWe don't make it to the beach anymore...but thankfully (as long as your car doesn't get splattered) they love parking lots...for some reason.
Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteI like the gull in flight, and the lined up ones.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the gulls, the identification of gulls is sometimes a own science, espacially the herring gull and yellow-legged gull or realted species.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I especially like the one where you captured the gulls all lined up in a row.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of all those different gulls. Up here in SE Qld we seldom see more than the Silver Gulls - too easy!!
ReplyDeleteStewart, great series on your gulls.. I like the Black-headed Gulls. I believe the other two are seen here also.. Great shots.. Thanks for hosting. Enjoy your the rest of your week!
ReplyDeleteWonderful images, Stewart. Gulls are so pristine somehow. It's the white feathers, I think. Regal even. Great captures!
ReplyDeleteVery Nice shots
ReplyDeletebeautiful gulls
Terrific shots of the gulls, Stewart! The Black-headed Gull is pretty sharp-looking.
ReplyDeleteI never knew there were so many kinds of gulls - nice descriptions and photos of them!
ReplyDeleteThat Black-headed Gull is really beautiful! I've never seen one. Your photos are truly lovely. Thank you for hosting WBW.
ReplyDeleteYour excellent photos shed an entirely new light on Gulls, Stewart. They are so common here, so often taken for granted that their beauty is often overlooked. I especially like their vibrantly-hued feet!
ReplyDeleteHello Stewart! Your Black-headed Gulls are similar to our Bonaparte's Gull. Are you back living in the UK again or just visiting? I have never done Wild Bird Wednesday, so I thought it was about time. All the best.
ReplyDeleteI like gulls too.
ReplyDeleteThe black-headed ones are cool. Great shots, love the fence sitters.
Gulls are interesting birds to watch, have yet to see a black headed one. Fantastic shots as always Stewart!
ReplyDeleteThe black-headed gulls are very neat looking! Never seen them!
ReplyDeleteI like gulls too, always have. Great photos Stewart. I joined in this week.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see different gulls. I love them all sitting on the fence.
ReplyDeleteHello Stewrat,
ReplyDeleteLovely series of seagulls.
Picture 2,6 and 7 are my favorite.
Best regards, Irma
Hi Stew - rat? I don't think you're a rat, so that's real typo, not doubt.LOL! (I hope Irma doesn't mind me taking the mickey!) On another note, I took note and listened to teacher last week and encouraged one of my blogging friends from Oz to join. I see she did. Thanks for hosting this great great meme. I love birding and blogging! Jo PS When are you flying to EA to show me how to take such great photos?
ReplyDeleteNaturally I love the Black Headed Gull...because his head is brown!!!!...:)JP
ReplyDeleteLove your images Stewart, they are quaint with their dark faces.
ReplyDeleteThose black-headed gulls are awesome. Love the fence shot! Odd how they are called black and not brown.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots - I remember the first time I heard kelp gull (only 1-2 years ago) & thought - "just like the movies". It must look & sound similar to the Herring gull.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gull images. I just wish that some of the immature and hybrid gulls were easier for me to identify. As for the "sound of the sea," our Red-tailed Hawk call shows up almost any time a filmmaker wishes to portray and eagle-- or a wild place no matter where in the world. I guess the Kookaburra also get a lot of play in jungle scenes.
ReplyDeleteI like gulls too, Stewart. I fear we are very rare. ;)
ReplyDeleteThey may be common to those in the UK, but they are new to me and adorable ... they look like kids who needs to wash their faces. The Herring Gull seems to make his way around the world because I have seen him on our shores, but black back is new to me as well. Love all of your shots and the brown heads on the black headed gulls make them particularly photogenic.
ReplyDeleteSo I arrive a day later than usual, Stewart ... must have something to do with being old. I got up yesterday with my Coots in queue and woke up this morning and they were still in queue ... so what happened to yesterday? ... hmmmm. But, as I said in my post, it is Wednesday here in the States, so I am still on time any way you look at it:) Have a great week, Stewart ...
Andrea @ From the Sol
Amazing shots of those beautiful birds! Love them. The third one is my favorite :)
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful. The expression on the birds face in the first shot is so funny and the detail was amazing. Loved the line-up of Gulls too. Had no idea there were so many different varities.
ReplyDeleteWe have gulls too... which I always thought strange as we are landlocked..... but, I must find out what type we have now..... thanks for the push..... maybe that's what I'll try for next week....for now, I have just some cute house sparrows....
ReplyDeleteMagnificent images so I congratulate you.
ReplyDeleteA greeting, friend and see you soon.
I have never seen one with a brown head before (even in pictures). Really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots, Stewart! I cannot pick a fav but the lineup is surely fun! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots of the gulls!
ReplyDeleteIt's me again Stewart-- Thanks for visiting my blog and mentioning my earlier comment on the "misuse" of bird sounds in movies. We hear Kookaburras in Tarzan movies with action supposedly in Africa, but they were filmed along the New River in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an area now filled with luxury waterfront homes!
ReplyDeleteSplendid Gull shots - and yes, all those Gulls lined up on the fence made for a terrific photo-op!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, cheeky, greedy birds. :)
ReplyDeleteGulls really are such beautiful birds. Your images are right on and the Black Headed Gulls are great looking~
ReplyDeleteI like Gulls too. When my late husband was ill I would take him to a local secluded beach area and we would stop at the used bred store and get some loaves and off we'd go to feed the Gulls. Not too much of course. They can be so funny with the strangest antics. Silly birds you provided some laughter in an old man's last days. MB
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the black-headed gulls!
ReplyDeleteThe black headed gulls are really interesting! Love the photos of both those and the more common variety too.
ReplyDeleteYou have lovely gulls.. I quite like those brown/black heads.
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos! Love the line-up!
ReplyDeleteStunning photos of the gulls, Stewart. I really like the line up :)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of, let alone see, brown headed gulls. That is a good looking bird. Nice photos of them also.
ReplyDelete