Herring Gull with UrchinHerring Gull with Urchin – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited

In January of 2009 I was walking Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach photographing herons, egrets and shorebirds when a gull flying in from the south caught my eye and and I trained my lens on it hoping to get some flight shots of it.

I was able to lock on to the Herring Gull in flight with a sea urchin in its bill when it was close enough to me to fill the frame, it was almost too close at that point. The gull must have found the urchin washed up onto the shore in the wrack line south of where I was. I’ve watched Herring Gulls fly up high and drop urchins and mollusks onto the beach to crack them open to get the tender meat inside but this gull just kept flying north of me with the urchin in its bill. The gull may have wanted to find a quieter spot on the beach to open the urchin where it wouldn’t have to fight off other gulls to keep its prey.

I like how this close up shows lots of fine detail in the face of the gull and the sea urchin.

I’m thinking today about all of my friends in Florida under the threat of Hurricane Matthew. Be safe.

Mia