The gull on the bridge on the river Ythan

This is the black headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus. It is only black-headed in the breeding season and in reality it is then a dark chocolate brown. Chroicocephalus comes from the Greek word choria meaning colour and cephalus which means head. Thus Chroicocephalus means coloured-head. Ridibundus comes from the Latin ridere which means laugh. So essentially the scientific name means laughing coloured-head, or coloured-head laugher.

This individual is extraordinarily tame and is often seen on the bridge waiting to be fed. Yesterday he scoffed the mince pie that Mrs Talpa was bringing home to me from the Church. Apparently his need was deemed to be greater than mine!

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