Still waiting for the fox, but while I'm sitting here I've been adding some photos to the Gulls Ahoy! album. Among them is this old gull. At least I assume it's old, given that kind of weary, lived-in look it has.
I was checking to see just how old it might be, and got quite a surprise. The life-span of the Herring Gull is around 30-40 years! No wonder they get tetchy at times. The juveniles keep the brown flecked plumage for several years, before transforming into the white and grey livery.
I also managed a workable shot of a crow in flight this weekend. Usually they are totally burnt out as the camera tries to deal with the black speck against the brightness of the sky. There are two flight shots in the Birds Birds Birds album.
One more bird in flight today. The sparrowhawk was back, and late afternoon just as the light was going it flew more or less overhead. I wasn't expecting it, didn't get the camera settings anywhere near right, but with a great deal of playing around with the file I managed to salvage this shot.
And still no sign of the dog fox…
cakkleberrylane
22 Jan 2007Beautiful bird pictures! He does look old. I used to see a lot of them on Fort Myers Beach. One took a sandwich right out of my mouth one day. I noticed that often they stand on one foot. My idea is that they are trying to make you feel sorry for them, having just one leg so you feed them more. We're waiting with you for the fox. Hope you get some good pix.
gdare
24 Jan 2007Really nice photo of the gull, remind me on some friends I have. Has the eyes that has seen a lot of life…
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Hi..
Beautiful pictures…