Dancers of the Wild Atlantic

Seagulls have a bad reputation. They are boisterous and noisy and sometimes aggressively snatch ice creams and sandwiches from our hands while occasionally offloading their droppings on our unsuspecting heads. This is extremely annoying of course but in their natural habitat, these extraordinary birds are enthralling to watch. They are highly skilled fliers and expert hunters. They hover, glide, dance and dive and adroitly ride unpredictable winds while scanning the sea below for potential prey. Seagulls are true acrobats of the sky, so it is time to stop quibbling about these beautiful creatures and start showing them some respect . . . I shot these photos on a wild day from the back of a fishing boat in the Atlantic off South West Ireland. Nikon D800 / Nikkor 135mm, f/2 DC