Usually young birds look less nice as the adult birds. Less brightly coloured, often a bit dull and less attractive. With Black-legged Kittiwakes this is different. In my opinion at least. Where the adults are nice, with their friendly face and all grey wings with black wingtips, the young ones add some subtle black markings. From the W on their wings, to the black on their necks and tails, it add something to their looks.

I haven’t seen them a lot on Spitsbergen, as I usually left before they fledged. Now I can stay longer (as I don’t have to go back to school) I suddenly see them fly around everywhere in the last weeks of August. This friendly bird didn’t mind posing for me for a while.