Tag Archives: rottingdean

Proper Gull Gets Proper Fish

Aug
03
2016
by Words | 2 Comments

Ok, the title is a little unfair on the herring gull featured in this post, but a goldfish is not really how one imagines the tooth and claw of nature. And the herring gull in the earlier is more than likely very acclimatized to human interaction. Unlike today’s subject, a fine great black-backed gull fishing off the shore at Rottingdean.

rottingdean shoreline

View along from Rottingdean to Brighton

The black-backed gull was out during late afternoon when the tide was out. At first I thought it was attacking a plastic bag (far too many of them litter the shoreline), but on closer inspection it was clear it had found itself a proper flatfish (dab? flounder? I’m not sure).

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull and fish at Rottingdean

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull moving the fish to a better spot

Great black-backed gull

It’s a bit rubbery, as they say…

Camera note: all gull photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Landscape taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens and 10 point filter.

Submit to StumbleUponSubmit to redditShare on Tumblr Share

Fulmars at Rottingdean

Dec
29
2015
by Words | 6 Comments

I’ve barely touched the camera recently, but the day was clear and I had a chance to get down to Rottingdean for an hour or so. It was windy, and the tide was coming in.

The cliffs at Saltdean (seen from Rottingdean), East Sussex

The cliffs at Saltdean (seen from Rottingdean), East Sussex

The fulmars were nestling in the wintering cliff-side nests, enjoying the relatively mild weather.

Two fulmars and a pigeon on the cliffs at Rottingdean

Two fulmars and a pigeon on the cliffs at Rottingdean

Fulmars in nesting site at Rottingdean, East Sussex

Fulmars in nesting site at Rottingdean, East Sussex

Fulmar flying along the cliffs at Rottingdean

Fulmar flying along the cliffs at Rottingdean

Fulmar (click to enlarge)

Fulmar (click to enlarge)

There weren’t many other birds of note around (herring gulls and a few black-headed gulls) so the final shot is of Brighton given a little bit of a postcard treatment.

Brighton, viewed from Rottingdean with the marina in the mid-ground and the i-sore/i-360 in the distance.

Brighton, viewed from Rottingdean with the marina in the mid-ground and the i-sore/i-360 in the distance.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Submit to StumbleUponSubmit to redditShare on Tumblr Share

Battling Herring Gulls

Jul
21
2015
by Words | 6 Comments

This is nothing to do with the ludicrous attempts by the Prime Minister to vilify yet another of our wildlife species (in this case a red listed bird), but some shots of herring gulls chasing each other on the wing. The photos were taken at Rottingdean today, just along from here. At no time did I feel I was in any danger 😉

Rottingdean Beach at low tide

Rottingdean Beach at low tide

Herring gulls squabbling over food

Herring gulls engage in aerial combat

Herring gulls squabbling over food

Herring gulls squabbling over food

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Submit to StumbleUponSubmit to redditShare on Tumblr Share