We went over to Wakehurst Place today. Beautiful sunshine again, but it was cold.
Black headed gull on frozen pond
The gulls were the dominant bird of the day, indeed the weekend. These black-headed gulls were skating around on the pond, and flocking for the few scraps thrown by visitors.
Flocking gulls
Normal gull behaviour, but entertaining to watch. The strangest thing though was that as well as all the usual gull antics, they also did this:
Gulls in the treetop
I've never seen a gull perch like that before. A quick web search revealed that Bonaparte's gull (a similar – identical? – north American species) does the same trick. I've not come across any other references of gulls perching in trees.
More of the gulls are over here. But there were other sights at Wakehurst, a number of which are in my December Birds album. Including this seasonal robin.
Robin
And this crazed duck!
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, except the flocking gulls which were caught with the much shorter EF 17-40mm 1:4L USM lens.
Dudley
8 Dec 2008Great stuff and I like the use of the wide angle in "Flocking gulls" :up: :star:
gdare
8 Dec 2008Crazed duck underestimated her possibilities on climbing on that rock 😆
Vulpes vulpes
8 Dec 2008I've never seen gulls do that either! :eyes: Love the robin and that duck…:yes:
Words
8 Dec 2008Andy, thanks. I had problems getting anything in focus with the flocking and I could have done with more even light.
Words
8 Dec 2008Vulpes, it threw me for sure! The gulls seemed reasonably stable up there and the tree is quite flat, which no doubt helps.
Words
8 Dec 2008Darko! I think the water was too cold!
Words
8 Dec 2008Lois, and to think I nearly dumped that shot.
cakkleberrylane
8 Dec 2008Absolutely beautiful! I loved the motion in the last photo.
Ukwildlife
9 Dec 2008Perhaps the gulls were just fed up with cold feet! The gulls suddenly seem more appealing when there doing jesus impressions on the ice. Ill have to try and get some in sunny weather this winter 🙂
cakkleberrylane
9 Dec 2008I'm glad you didn't dump it. The color along with the motion makes the shot!
Words
9 Dec 2008Neil, I really like the black-headed gulls, even more so after having seen this at the weekend. So much quirkier than the herring gulls.
Ukwildlife
9 Dec 2008Im rather fond of the common gulls, partly because I only Id-ed one for the first time last winter, and now I notice them everywhere, tucked in with the black headed gulls.
Words
9 Dec 2008Neil, I'm not great at spotting the common gulls among the larger herring gulls, but I've probably seen many more than I realize. Black-headed gulls are easy though. This one from Monday.
Ukwildlife
9 Dec 2008Have you spotted any early black heads among your black headed gulls? I 99% sure I saw one on the bridge as my train crossed the Thames (it goes slowly) that was almost in full 'summer' plumage. I know some get in early so they get a head start when impressing mates but December is very early!
Words
9 Dec 2008Wow, that is early. Can't say I've noticed any recently but I'll keep my eyes open.
SittingFox
10 Dec 2008Love the robin, and the mallard and gulls are great :up:
Words
10 Dec 2008Adele, thanks.
sprogger
16 Dec 2008All great shots but the robin is just perfect.
Words
16 Dec 2008Sprogger, I generally don;t have too much luck with robins, but that one posed like a trooper for me.