Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject: Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
Place: Cape May, NJ, USA
Date: December 1992
Equipment: Nikon 8008, 400/5.6 & TC14 (= 560/8), tripod
Film: K200
Exposure: aperture preferred center weighted meter
Scan: Minolta Dimage; 80% of frame

Commentary: This species only has a black head (actually dark chocolate brown) as a breeding adult; in winter adults look like this. It is a rare but regular bird on the mid Atlantic coast of the eastern US.

This bird was photographed as it rode the tide just offshore, which makes this a bit different from the usual photos of gulls showing them in flight or lounging on the ground. I like the water-level viewing angle; something not usually possible from land. I also like that the color is limited to the bit of red on the bill.