Winter Gulls

Week 44, 29 October 2016 - Souk Sharq

At the end of autumn, the wintering Gulls arrive in Kuwait. The large white-headed Gulls are a challenge, as they are moulting and there is a mix of adult and all other age birds.

At this time of the morning, many of the Dhows are returning from wherever they fished through the night, quite often accompanied by Gulls looking for scraps.

Returning Dhow's

Here a probable Caspian Gull being chased by two younger birds for its food, not realising that the adult bird had already swallowed the food. 

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

Not 100% sure of this Gull, as the lack of primary mirrors aren't any help, but the pale eye could be good for Heuglin's 

Possible Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini)

Fortunately, the Common Black-headed Gulls are more straight forward and early morning light is perfect at Souk Sharq for a bit of BIF photography. This morning the Black-headed's were the predominant Gull around the harbour - excuse the gluttony of images.......

Winter plumage Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

First year Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Almost all of the Sandwich Terns have deformed lower mandibles and I haven't been able to find out what is causing this - possibly some deficiency in their diet?

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis)