Some gulls in the UK

[Karl]

Hi everyone. Just getting into taking pics of birds, and am finding that gulls are in abundance at our local duck pond. I've only really noticed three different types (I think), not really sure what they are though.

There's lots of these...



But not so many of these...



Or these...



Is the second one just an older version (or different sex) of the first?

Oh, and I'm going to the Falkand Islands in February for 4 months, so expect I'll find a few different ones down there!

[JanJ]

Hi Karl.

Some nice pic. of Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) you have - the first one is an adult, the second a first winter.
Your third gul is a Herring Gull (Larus argentatus).

Have a nice trip to the Falklands!

Jan

PS. On this very same site you can watch both these species with many exellent pic. and good wording!

[Karl]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for the reply and confirmation on the species. I think gulls are under rated here in the UK, typically looked upon as vermin. Taking the time to photograph them has me looking at them in a different light.

I was particularly interested in the Herring gull - it seems to float quite majestically compared to the other one, and there definitely aren't as many hanging around the pond.