Lift-off!

It felt like spring today, calm and warm, lovely to wander along the beach.

This Southern Black-backed gull had me amused, he kept hopping along just ahead of me and then decided he'd had enough and away he went, I'm thrilled with the wing detail.

The Southern Black-back gull is a large black and white gull widespread around the coasts and inland throughout NZ. All white apart from the upperwing and mantle which are black with a white trailing edge. They have a yellow bill, the tip is hooked and a red spot on the lower mandible near the tip. Legs are dull yellow. The juveniles are all mid-brown developing their adult plumage over 3-4 years. They breed on the ground, in colonies or solitary, on the coast and mountains to 1500m, or urban areas. They are native to NZ

Scientific name: Larus dominicanus
Common name: Southern Black-back gull
Maori name: Karoro