Sunday 31 July 2016

Kittiwakes

I love the Kittiwake. I've probably mentioned before that it is one of my favourite gulls. It is a very elegant bird, both in flight and at rest. There is something rather appealing about it's dark eye and yellow bill. Definitely more friendly looking than the Herring and Lesser black-backed gulls. It's also one gull that I can pick out quite easily in amongst other gulls.

I had a great time watching these on the North East coast, where there were many nesting birds. Once again this is yet another of our birds that has been given 'Red Status' and has been struggling in recent years. This time possibly down to a lack of sandeels, their main source of food for the young. Hopefully they will bounce back and increase their numbers.

Hanging those black legs and feet in flight.

Lovely gliding flight and with those unmistakable black wing tips.


Very photogenic even from the back-side.

21 comments:

  1. Nice photos! Kittiwakes look dainty and so buoyant in flight.I have only seen them in Alaska.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful shots - I can almost feel the ocean breeze.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We also saw them in Alaska .... It took a while for me to spot them because here in the Pacific Northwest US we have the very common California gull which also has a yellow bill. But I soon could see how they were different. And your pictures show what I first noticed ... They are more graceful for one thing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, great sighting and photos of the Kittiwakes. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful photos~
    Thank you for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/08/cats-consumate-contortionists.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. They look so graceful in flight. Terrific shots!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonderful captures. I like them all! I remember on holiday in Ireland. 🤗

    You can find my post here, if you want
    https://happy-hour-with-picts.blogspot.de/2016/07/ein-besuch.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love Kitewakes. I always think they are such a peaceful looking and graceful bird. Lovely shots of them

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great shots! It must be a good feeling to float like them...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely captures of the Kittiwakes., a sea bird I have only seen once.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Very pretty variety of seagull, indeed. Although they might not be exactly the same variation, I do see something quite similar flown from California to the beaches of the West Coast in British Columbia.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Im heading off to Lyme Regis this weekend and looking forward to seeing the sea birds, as we get few in Dubai other than the standard pigeons

    ReplyDelete
  13. They are lovely! You got some great shots!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful. I always think that kittiwakes are the elegant version of seagulls :) #AnimalTales

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very elegant bird and I am so sorry to hear that it like so much of wildlife is struggling.... Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  16. A beautiful gull and great shots. A bird I saw when I visited Scotland :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have never seen a kittiwake and never realised it looks like they have walked through a tub of back paint! #AnimalTales

    ReplyDelete

I enjoy reading your comments as much as I enjoy taking the pictures. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post.