Seagull Hatchlings - Friday Photo #495

Friday Photo #495 – Seagull Hatchlings

Photo: Three seagull hatchlings in evening light, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 1, 2022, 03:59

With summer will underway it is the beginning of hatching season for the local seabirds. What are usually already loud nights have become even louder as the various bird species squabble and fight to defend their chicks which are now free from the nests and generally just walk around. While there are (supposedly) no foxes on Flakstadøy, these three have a risky few months ahead of them, with predation from other birds the largest threat.

Beyond the wild lands of Lofoten, these little fuzzballs can be seen walking around literally everywhere during the next months: from parking lots in Leknes, sidewalks in Reine, piers in Henningsvær, and basically everyplace else. On my drive home from the Moskenes ferry late Monday night, there were multiple times I had to slow down on the E10 as there were various hatchlings just standing in the middle of the road.

These three have spend the last couple days on a rock just outside my house while the mother keeps watch the telephone pole in my backyard. Usually they take a bit more shelter in the grasses during the day and come out more in the evening hours. Though it does seem awfully exposed for them to just stand on top of a rock for several hours and I’m surprised I haven’t seen or heard any major attacks on them yet. Although perhaps the rock is safer, as the field will likely be cut within the week for winter feed for the local sheep, so probably best they stay out of the way of the tractor and mower.

Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north

Camera Info:
Nikon Z7 II
Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6
500mm
ISO 400
f 6.3
1/640 second
WB Daylight

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