RELICT GULL Ichthyaetus relictus

Another endangered species which may be faring better than we think, as its breeding grounds in remote inland areas of Asia are difficult to access and the bird is nomadic. I initially photographed birds at Lake Alakol in Kazakhstan but very few birds have bred there in recent years. The easiest birds to see were the winterers which occur on Chinese and Korean coasts, Happy Island near Bedaihe is a good bet. However, a number of breeding colonies have become accessible in recent years, albeit still remote, and my recent trip to Mongolia allowed much improved photos. The right hand shot is one of the originals, taken on slide film.

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