The Heathcote river is home to many varieties of birds, including both native and exotic species. One particular part of the river, near the Opawa Community Church, often is flocked with a variety of gulls. There are of course the very common smaller gulls that many people associate with stolen fish and chips at the beach. But I always am more intrigued by the larger, and usually less aggressive Southern Black-backed Gulls such as this one.