Common Gulls Larus canus are quite elusive for me during the breeding season and I don’t get too many opportunities to photograph them during this time of year.
Here are some photos that I managed to take over the last couple of weeks.
Second calendar year
Second-calendar year Common Gull with light spots in the inner web of its first-generation P8 (right wing only) and P10. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, 13 July 2013.
Third calendar year
Third-calendar year Common Gull. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, 16 July 2013.
Third-calendar year Common Gull. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, 16 July 2013.
Adult
Adult Common Gull, showing dark markings on the outer primary coverts. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, 29 June 2013.
Gulls to the Horizon 
Common Gulls – I see quite a few, but I never really pay much attention to them. Maybe I should. I just find that my interest is drawn towards the big gulls, because they seem more charismatic and ‘personable’, if you know what I mean…
Where I live, they are not easy to get close to. They are quite shy outside of the winter months and I don’t have a location nearby where they breed and observe them. I end up having have to wait until it’s winter when they come into the cities before I get to see them up close.
Most gull watchers tend to only focus on the large species because of their variation, but for me the smaller species are equally interesting and worth observing.
I’ve been thinking this evening – I don’t think that I have ever actually seen a Common Gull up close in real life. They do indeed seem to be very wary around humans, compared to the other familiar species. Even little Black-headed Gulls are more confident when faced with the possibility of free bread…