Gulls are such a common sight locally that (other than the chicks) I rarely spend any time photographing them. I took this sequence at lunchtime, just before weather didn’t so much break as utterly collapse. The afternoon and early evening were punctuated with torrential downpours and some localized flooding. So much for a long hot summer. The photos were taken at a local village pond.
First a couple of single birds in flight. These are black-headed gulls (so called because of the brown head plumage which they display in summer):
While I was watching the birds, someone started feeding them slices of bread. The inevitable chaos ensued as the gulls (black-headeds and heron gulls) swarmed to grab what they could.
Gulls after bread.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.
Ukwildlife
7 Jul 2009Nice photos – I really should try practising on some in flight shots common birds with my new set up, rather than miss someting rare or attempting hawker dragonflies/swallows/swifts – bit of a steep learning curve that way!
Words
7 Jul 2009I don't know.. you're doing great stuff with the dragonflies. This flock as fun to photograph, but if it had been dry underfoot I'd almost certainly have headed over to the dragonfly pond (which I imagine was more like a swamp).
RobinL
8 Jul 2009Wonderful shots. What a riot!
gdare
8 Jul 2009"so called because of the brown head plumage which they display in summer"
What happens during winter?
Words
8 Jul 2009Thanks Robin!
Words
8 Jul 2009Originally posted by gdare:
This happens 😉
gdare
8 Jul 2009So, they are getting some colour because of mating? Or sun is too hard for them? 😎
😀
SittingFox
8 Jul 2009They almost seem to be suspended in mid air in the first two photos – beautiful 🙂
I was in Parliament Square this afternoon watching the rain fall on the tourists, who were either sheltering under the porch of the Abbey or posing in ponchos for photographs :right: But I am really glad to see the back of the 30+ weather. It really wasn't at all pleasant to be that hot and sticky in downtown Croydon (where the air isn't very healthy at the best of times!)
Words
8 Jul 2009Darko, I'm not sure why so many birds change colour in the summer, but mating could be part of it. It can't be our sun 😉
Words
8 Jul 2009Adele, thanks. I'm quite glad the oppressive heat has gone but the rain yesterday was a touch too intense for my liking.
Flying Red Fox Blog
9 Jul 2009Great photos 😀 Its nice the weather has cooled down, less heat haze for photography but i do hope its gets nicer for the Hampton Court flower show on Sunday. 🙂
Words
9 Jul 2009Mark, yes the cooler weather is more pleasant, though I could do without so much rain. Hopefully the weekend will be ok (though the forecast isn't the best 🙁 )