Black Headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

Not really a black-headed bird, more chocolate-brown - in fact, for much of the year, it has a white head. It is most definitely not a ‘seagull’ and is found commonly almost anywhere inland. Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting.

I took the top photograph in a deserted quarry in Weardale, County Durham. The birds nest near small ponds and fly off to scavenge food on the surrounding moors. Their numbers can be locally very high especially in spring and again in winter.

The second photograph was taken some years earlier, at Whitley Bay. I used a long lens and set my camera to Shutter speed priority and continuous auto-focus. The difficulty was to frame the bird in camera, in order to leave enough space in front of it, this is necessary for the image to look balanced. 

The bottom photograph was taken in the same area as the top, I had two hides set up for different nests, this one was positioned for morning light. The only problem was I was sitting with both feet immersed in water.

top - Pentax *ist D Sigma 70 - 300mm lens.

second - Pentax *ist D Sigma 400mm lens.

third - Canon 30D Canon 100 - 400 IS lens.