12 November 2012

Gulls on the Gulf

Week 46, 05 November 2012 - Sharq Harbour (Click to enlarge image)

After dropping my son at school, I spent 30-minutes at Sharq Harbour, which is the best time of day with respect to available light. Unfortunately no large white-headed Gulls were to be found, most were far out in the Gulf sitting on the sea waiting for the Dhows to come in to the harbour.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the time I had photographing the smaller Gulls and Terns that were foraging in and outside the harbour.

The majority were made up of Common Black-headed Gulls in a variety of plumage types that have arrived in big numbers for the winter.


Wintering Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 




Only one Slender-billed Gull was seen amongst the Black-headed


1cy Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)


Sandwich Terns were foraging up and down the coast, a few with deformed beaks (or are they 'growing and moulting'?). Getting an image of one of these Terns in a vertical dive is a challenge with a big heavy piece of glass, but I was able to capture one, just before it hit the surface.


Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis)




Plentiful food is available for both Gulls and Terns, but these schools normally stay very close to the shoreline for safety.


Abundant food supply 

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