After taking up bird watching in 2008, I quickly became interested in observing gulls. So much so, that gulls have become a passion and gull watching is now my primary hobby.
During the breeding season I regularly assist with gull research projects, mainly as part of the IJmuiden Gull Research Team in the gull colony of IJmuiden (home to Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls). I also assist in the colonies of Zaandam (Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Common Gulls), Zoetermeer (Black-headed Gulls), and have assisted at Texel (Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls).
I am currently investigating changes in primary patterns in Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Black-headed Gulls and hope to publish my findings in a few years. I’m currently also working on an article about suspended primary moult in Herring Gulls (if you have any examples yourself, please contact me).
I also like photography and programming databases (see the Marked Birds Database that I have created), hobbies that I can combine well with bird watching and reading ringed/banded gulls.
Gull watching is also a great way to meet and connect with people around the world and travel to fascinating locations (although for gulls that mostly results in visiting waste dumps, landfills, harbours and industrial sites 🙂 ).
I use this blog to share my photos and observations of the gulls that I observe and to share my database that I have created for keeping track of observations of ringed/banded gulls.
Maarten van Kleinwee
The Netherlands
Twitter: @Argentatus
Research Gate profile
Facebook (personal page)
Marked Birds Database on Facebook
Email: gulls [at] vankleinwee.com
More of my gull photos are on Flickr (updated again since July 2017).
Me at Julianadorp, the Netherlands, checking the breakwaters for ringed gulls. June 2020.
Me gull watching in Morocco, January 2017.
Me reading ringed gulls at Blaringhem landfill, France, 24 – 28 October 2016.
Me taking photographs of primary patterns and primary moult of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls in a gull colony at Zaandam, the Netherlands. 28 May 2015.
Me with an adult Slaty-backed Gull in the background. Lake County Fairground, Libertyville, Illinois, USA. 14 February 2014.
Me with a young Herring Gull chick of just a few days old. Texel, The Netherlands, 8 June 2013.
July 25, 2010. A photo of me, observing Lesser Black-backed Gulls and European Herring Gulls in de Kelderhuispolder colony, island of Texel, The Netherlands.
Gulls to the Horizon 
Thank you very much for your recent article & photos on the indentification of Hering & Lesser Black-backed Gull chicks. We recently ringed 100 LBBGU chicks on Inchcolm, an island in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. We hope to find out whether or not Scottish LBBGUs are still migrating & wintering in south-east Iberia & Morocco or wintering in Britain. We used an old identification guide from the BTO Ringers’ Manual. Could have done with looking at your guide first!
Many thanks for your kind words John, much appreciated! Nice to hear about your project too, it will be interesting to find out where your gulls end up.
Regards,
Maarten