A young Mediterranean gull by the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos – Algarve

by Silva Wischeropp

I captured this seascape featuring seagulls on 29 October 2026 in the late afternoon at Praia do Pinhao in Lagos, in the Algarve. The photograph was taken with a NIKON D800 (lens: NIKKOR 50.0 mm f/1.4).

This photograph of young Mediterranean gulls (Larus michahellis) on the cliffs of Lagos offers a fascinating blend of complex textural photography, dynamic lighting conditions and maritime storytelling. Whilst the adult birds captivate with their clean, minimalist white-and-grey plumage and the yellow legs for which they are named, the young birds possess their own unique photographic appeal.

1. The ‘scaly plumage’ against the golden cliffs
In contrast to the simple plumage of adult birds, juvenile Mediterranean gulls have an intensely patterned juvenile plumage, mottled with grey-brown and white.

Structural contrasts:
The feathers look like precisely drawn scales. Against the world-famous, ochre-coloured sandstone cliffs of Lagos (such as Ponta da Piedade), these earthy tones blend in perfectly.

Playing with the ‘golden hour’:
When the warm light of the late afternoon sun hits the cliffs, the brown tones of the young bird blend in with its surroundings, whilst the delicate white feather edges stand out sharply.

Young birds often behave quite differently from experienced adults:

Young gulls are often less wary of people and cameras. They frequently perch curiously on the wooden railings of cliff paths or on rocky outcrops, which allows for extreme close-ups (portraits focusing on the dark eye and dark beak) without the need for extreme telephoto lenses.

Young birds often still appear slightly lanky in their posture or huddle amongst the rocks seeking shelter. Such photographs convey a vulnerable, narrative quality (‘wildlife storytelling’) that stands in stark contrast to the otherwise often aggressive image of urban seagulls.