Gulls at ground zero

These are scenes from a somewhat chaotic colony of inland breeding gulls at Brynmawr. I've known this colony for at least 10 years and during this period birds have nested on the pitched asbestos roof top of a unit type factory. Following the abandonment of the factory and it's subsequent demolition earlier this year I fully expected the birds to move on. However, and much to my surprise, they have returned and are now nesting at ground level on the concrete foundation of the former building. 

I counted at least 30 sitting birds of both herring and lesser black-backed gull, along with a single great blacked-backed. There may have been as many as 200 noisy birds in or around this site with a significant number engaged in courtship posturing or actual mating. During my visit the birds were disturbed by a drilling rig just outside of the perimeter fence suggesting its redevelopment is not too far off. Furthermore at ground level it was clear by the number or corvids present that raising a brood will be something of a challenge for the gulls.