It’s a bird city

Silhouetted bird in profile standing on city pavement with warm backlighting and blurred urban background in Cork City

Seagull with open beak standing over a discarded sandwich on asphalt pavement in Cork City

Adult seagull and juvenile gull sharing a dropped sandwich on a city street in Cork, with the younger bird showing mottled brown plumage

Cork City, where birds have become incredibly adept at turning human carelessness into dining opportunities.

Urban-adapted birds like the seagulls and crows photographed here have developed significantly different behaviours compared to their rural counterparts. City-dwelling seagulls often show reduced fear responses to humans and have learned to time their foraging around peak human activity periods, such as lunch hours when dropped food is most available.

Crows, meanwhile, have demonstrated remarkable problem-solving abilities in urban environments and can even learn to associate specific locations with regular food sources. Studies have shown that urban bird populations often have different dietary compositions, stress hormone levels, and even song patterns compared to rural birds, reflecting their adaptation to city life and the constant presence of human activity.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length150mm
ISO400
Shutter speed1/320s

Street Life with Man’s Best Friend

I love dogs, so when I see one in town I always try to get a photo.


Apertureƒ/2.2
CameraSM-G998B
Focal length2.2mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/580s

A Solitary Figure in Birmingham

Walking along Corporation Street, I was watching out for interesting people to photograph when I saw a man watching people walking past. We’d just come out of Grand Central Shopping Centre, the sun was shining, and I quickly walked over to the shaded part of the street. It was too warm for me. Might have been the same for this gentleman.


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO320
Shutter speed1/500s

Eircom Phone Booths in Cork

A pair of Eircom phone booths on St. Patrick Street, Cork, pictured in 2005.

The phones were there until at least 2022, but Eir announced a few years ago that they’d be removing their public phone booths, so away they go.


Apertureƒ/13
CameraCanon EOS 20D
Focal length55mm
ISO400
Shutter speed1/320s