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 T was bringing home to me from the Church. Apparently his need was deemed to be greater than mine!