Black-headed Gull

Above: Black-headed gull in summer
Below: Black-Headed gull in winter

Black-headed gulls are probably the most common and widespread gull in the UK, being found all your round, in-land as well as at the coast. They are almost always associated near water and are frequent visitors to tips and other rubbish dumps. You will not have to look hard to find them. They are smaller than most other gulls and are easily robbed of a meal by their larger relatives. They are not adverse to a little robbery of their own and they can often be seen trying to steal small fishes from other birds such as grebes.

They have a very pale back and wings, paler than many other common gulls. The wing tips are black with three evenly spaces white dots and the leading edge of the wing is white and in flight this white extends to a large, narrow triangle, extending into the dark primaries at the wing tip. The neck, breast and belly are also white.

The head in summer has a handsome hood which despite the name is very dark brown and not black, although, in most light, it can appear black. It covers the crown and the face but does not extend to the nape at the back of the head. There is a prominent white eye-ring that is broken at either side of the eye. In winter the head is mostly white except for a small dark spot behind the eye and a dark patch at the front edge of the eye. The legs are short and are a deep shade of red. The beak is also very dark red, particularly in summer but it can be paler and duller, with a black tip in winter birds. Juveniles have even duller beaks and legs lacking the deep red shade and they also have a band of buff feathers, flecked with dark brown or black, through the middle of the folded wings.

You shouldn't need any advice on where to find these birds and photography is easy as they are relatively tame birds, being used to human company. The best place that I have found for photography is Woolston Eyes (if you are prepared to purchase a permit) otherwise try West Kirby marine lake, Martin Mere or almost any body of in-land fresh water.