3a-mediterraneangulls

During the ninety ninetees both Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
and Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis began to settle in The Netherlands in ever
increasing numbers and both settled quite comfortably in local
Black-headed Gull colonies. The Mediterranean Gulls settle amidst the
Black-headeds and when there is any danger most of them leave the colony
and leave the defense and losses to the Black-headeds! Like other geese,
the Barnacle's like to breed among gulls which see danger coming before
they do. The Barnacle Geese have profited from the protection they got
in the beginning of the fifties when their numbers were dangerously low
as a result of hunting. Since then they slowly recovered but in recent
decennia showed a remarkable expansion from their former stronghold
on Novaya Zemlya to the north Russian coast, then to the Baltic and now
some thousands breed in the SW Netherlands in the very area where
the whole Russian population winters. This is the first example of an arctic
species adapting quite well to sub-arctic and temperate conditions!
The Mediterranean Gulls on the other hand feed exclusively inland on
intensely manured fields during their stay in Holland thus benefiting from industrial
pig-farming.

1-blackheadedgulls- 2-bonapartegulls- 3-mediterraneangulls- 4-littlegulls 5-franklin'sgulls

blackheaded gulls
1A	1B	1C	1D	1E	1F

12	24	36	48	61	67