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Kittiwakes

Bonxie and the Gannets - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Life and death on the waves

Strange things happen in the natural world. Here’s a photograph from a sequence that I’m still mentally processing. From left to right: …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

A head-scratching moment

I’m watching Kittiwakes fly past Noup Head, where cliffs keep a huge breeding seabird colony relatively safe from predators. One amuses me, …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The diving Kittiwake

I’ve not watched a Kittiwake feeding before. It’s fascinating to see their wings beating, their eyes on the sea, their false-starts and …

Kittiwake, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittiwake in the harbour

A Kittiwake over Brixham breakwater. Such beautiful, elegant birds with their dipped-in-ink wings and smokey winter heads. I’m looking forward to spending …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittisleeps

Fledgling Kittiwakes are littering the inlets and cliffs of Westray. They seem like they are playing, delighted with their wings, whirling around …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittiwake in winter

There’s a beautiful gull with a yellow beak in Brixham harbour. I can see it diving and fishing in the distance. I …

Juvenile Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The first flight of the Kittiwake

Kittiwakes are one of my favourite birds. I love their delicate bills, their dipped-in-ink wings and their streamlined bodies. And their “Kittiwaaaak” …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittiwake, Kittisleep

There’s a Kittiwake at the end of the pier where the Papa Westray ferry arrives. It’s stunning in the early morning light. …

Great Skuas and Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Escape?

After seeing a couple of successful attacks by Great Skuas against juvenile Kittiwakes I feared the worst when this one strayed over …

Kittiwake - Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

A rare case of Kittiwake triplets

Kittiwakes are beautiful, elegant gulls. Yes, those words really do go together. The UK has 8% of the world’s population. It’s one …

Kittiwakes - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittee-wa-aaake

The Kittiwakes at Noup Head are mesmerising. This one is a juvenile, flying freely, far above the sparkling sea below: I love …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Declining Kittiwakes

The weather is dramatic and so are the Kittiwakes calling below: They are such refined and elegant birds. Their families are growing …

Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kittiwakes are calling

Kittiwakes are the most beautiful and delicate of the gulls. Their yellow beaks, black legs, dark eyes and plaintive call are so …

Puffin Love - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Witness for the Extinction

There’s a new report out on the State of the World’s Birds. It reports the science that 1 in 8 bird species …