The flutter of the black-headed gull and the soft summer tones of the greater flamingo

Birdlife in Camargue in June, the previous post, contained pictures taken earlier in the morning during a stroll around the bird reserve (Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau). The second part of the morning gave me a chance to capture The flutter of the black-headed gull and the soft summer tones of the greater flamingo.

By now, the pre-summer heat is definitely present. We're well into the breeding season for the black-headed gull and you can't miss them, fluttering about and screeching non-stop (their call is characteristic, a bit like cats miaowing), guarding their nests and feeding their chicks.

The flamingos seem to be resting after all the excitement and rivalry of their mating season with their vivid winter colours. Now they have softer summer tones* that contrast with the dark green rushes or melt into the mud flats.

*not to be confused with those of the juvenile, seen here in the first picture of a flamingo in flight while the second shows an adult