The Brown-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus is the Asian version of the well known Black-headed Gull of Europe.  This is a species that I have seen on both of my November trips to Sri Lanka. It is a slightly less delicate bird than the Black-headed Gull, slightly larger and more robust. This is a first winter bird that I photographed at Chillaw Sand Spit (Sri Lanka).  On the day it was incredibly hot, unbearably so in fact and I could only manage an hour before I had to get out of the sun and somehow in to the shade.  If you haven't experienced 40 degrees with no shade before  then you won't realise how unbearable that is.

Also on the beach that day were  Caspian and Lesser-crested Tern, a few Whiskered  Tern and one or two Gull-billed Tern – Gelochelidon nilotica (see below).  All great birds for a birder from the UK.  More images of these other terns and Kentish Plover will be on the blog in the next few days