This impressive bird occasionally passes by on our local cliff. In flight those long wings have a lazy sinous movement, which give a clue as to the bird's size even when there is nothing by which to judge the scale.
The bird on the right was circling over the two juveniles pictured below, swimming well offshore.
Four adults took turns, apparently trying to get the juvenile birds into the air, but with no success.
Two days later the youngsters were again swimming offshore, this time being ignored by the adults.
The circling adults gave a good opportunity to get some flying shots of this impressive bird.
Photographs (above) - August 2004.
Unfortunately, they rarely come close enough on the water for a good static shot.
Photograph (left) - September 2004.
This picture on the left shows the adult and juvenile Great Black-backed gulls, together with a black headed gull in the foreground which helps to give a feel for scale. A close-up of the juvenile is on the right.
Rooftop photographs - August 2003
After posing on the posts for a little while, this pair then took to the water and swam around each other calling. Presumably courtship behaviour.
I believe that the larger bird on the right is the male.
Photographs (above) - February 2005
Enlarging this picture will reveal what maybe the pair's offspring from last year.
The Great black backs don't always go around in pairs though. This one seemed to prefer a Cormorant for company.
