Williamson's Weekly Nature Notes

THE usual gull following the farmer's plough is the black-headed gull. But about a quarter of the gulls will be common gulls. These two are easily separated. The first has a red beak and legs, the second has a greenish-yellow beak and legs. In autumn and winter it is as well to know because there isn't really very much to tell them apart.

The black-headed gull, you see, becomes almost a white-headed gull like the common gull. That lovely chocolate-brown face mask it had in the summer is only worn to impress its partner.

Both male and female wear make-up for breeding and they are away in the Baltic or Scotland for that family fun. Far from Sussex most of them nest on coastal islands in colonies. Local people often farm them for their eggs, allowing the pairs to rear the last eggs of their cycle.

These were usually sold as plovers' eggs to the trade. When they return southwards in autumn they have all but lost their summer faces. Both species have got worm hunting down to a fine art.

Off they go at dawn from the reservoirs and estuaries looking for tractors. Years ago they searched for horses moving over the fields. Tractor spotting was much easier though. Being white birds they can easily see each other too.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette November 19