(12 of 25 PICTS: 01-12)

3A Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 

or where North meets South!
 
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


01 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 1,The Netherlands

01 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 1, The Netherlands


02 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 2,The Netherlands

02 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 2, The Netherlands


03 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006,The Netherlands

03 mixed colony Mediterranean Gulls & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006, The Netherlands


04 Mediterranean Gull & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 1 ,The Netherlands

04 Mediterranean Gull & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 1 , The Netherlands


05 Mediterranean Gull & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 ,The Netherlands

05 Mediterranean Gull & Barnacle Geese, Haringvliet, 15052006 , The Netherlands


06 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adult 04052005 Rotterdam

06 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adult 04052005 Rotterdam


07 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adult in flight15052006 Haringvliet,The Netherlands

07 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adult in flight15052006 Haringvliet, The Netherlands


08 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 1 Haringvliet,The Netherlands

08 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 1 Haringvliet, The Netherlands


09 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 2 Haringvliet,The Netherlands.jpg

09 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 2 Haringvliet, The Netherlands.jpg


10 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 3 Haringvliet,The Netherlands

10 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 3 Haringvliet, The Netherlands

11 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 4 Haringvliet,The Netherlands

11 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 4 Haringvliet, The Netherlands


12 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 Haringvliet,The Netherlands

12 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus adults 15052006 Haringvliet, The Netherlands


blackheaded gulls
1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 1F
12 24 36 48 61 67

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Small gulls


oog-pijl-up

18 Nov 2021