Two Common Gulls

. . . and Four Black--headed Gulls.

(One of each in the thumbnail.)

It is amazing how quickly the ice melts when the temperature shoots up 10 degrees Celsius.  Today, the lake was 90% open water with just two small areas of wet ice in the middle of the most open regions.

Strangely, the gulls were drawn to this and obviously preferred resting on the ice rather than being in the water.  I find that habit useful as it allows me to check for any that have coloured bands fitted on their legs.  None had them in this instance.

The ice had a thin film of meltwater on the surface which could not support distorting ripples and so gave an almost mirror-like reflection.  As you can see, it wasn't deep enough to cover their feet.

The two common gulls, Larus canus are the one in the middle standing on two legs, and the one sitting down.

The other four are black-headed gulls, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, all standing on just one leg.