herring gulls Larus argentatus are perhaps the species of birds i see most often, at least when i am in Norway. they are very much at home in our small town by the sea. they nest on the rooftops of houses near the harbor so we both see and hear them throughout the day. they are particularly noisy in the early morning- and in the Norwegian summer that means from about 3 AM. so while they are a nuisance in that sense, life would not be the same without them. when the chicks leave their nests and are learning to fly they are not particularly shy. though the parents tend to discourage them getting close to strangers, it's not hard to get to know them. the ones we treat well remember who we are, if not for their entire lives, at least for a long time. as they mature it becomes impossible to tell them apart from the other gulls by their appearance but there are signs in their behavior that they recognize us.
these shots were taken their first winter when they were capable of fending for themselves but still had were developing skills. an early hard winter can be quite challenging for them, so we give them some love when we meet. that is, we offer some healthy fat food and they gladly pose for a shot or two.
