In the unlikeliest corner of Beirut — where urban sprawl meets the sea, where half-built towers cast shadows on dusty rubble — Wata Aamaret Chalhoub remains a quiet refuge. A patch of rough ground and shallow water, easily dismissed by city-goers… but not by birds. And certainly not by Chadi Saad.
One late morning, with the sun already cutting through the haze, Chadi stood watching the harbor edge. The air smelled faintly of salt and diesel. Then they appeared — five large gulls soaring in tight formation above the shallow inlet.
Caspian Gulls.
Broad-winged, sharp-billed, and powerful. Their wings glinted silver in the light as they circled together — not scavenging, but hunting.
With surprising coordination, they swooped low over the water. One dipped its beak, another skimmed just above the surface — a flash of silver in its beak confirmed the catch. Small fish were darting near the surface, and the gulls had found their moment.
Chadi crouched beside a rusted fence, camera steady. He had seen Caspian Gulls loafing, resting, even bickering on docks. But this was different — this was wild. Purposeful. Alive.
All five birds took turns diving and rising. No loud cries, no chaos — just focused movements and precise strikes. In a space forgotten by most of the city, the sea had come alive, and these gulls were its swift predators.
He wrote in his notebook:
“5 Caspian Gulls hunting fish at Wata Aamaret Chalhoub. Urban wilderness. Sharp eyes, sharper beaks. Majesty hidden in plain sight.”
And as the gulls drifted out toward the marina horizon, Chadi stayed behind — grateful that even in the middle of Beirut’s concrete crust, nature still knows how to surprise.
Caspian Gulls (Larus cachinnans) are primarily found around the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions, but their range extends into Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. In Lebanon, they are considered regular winter visitors and passage migrants, particularly along the coast, wetlands, and inland water bodies like Qaraoun Lake or Wata Aamaret Chalhoub, where they may be seen hunting fish in groups.
Caspian Gulls are large, pale-mantled gulls with long, slender bills, and long legs. Adults have a white head in winter with streaking that is less dense than in Herring Gulls. They also have a slightly angular head shape and a distinctive "venetian blind" pattern on the wings when in flight. Their call is a deep, laughing “haa-ha-ha,” which helps distinguish them from similar gull species.
Caspian Gulls are opportunistic feeders. Their diet includes fish, carrion, invertebrates, and human food waste. In Lebanon, especially in places like Wata Aamaret Chalhoub, they have been observed hunting fish—sometimes cooperatively in small flocks of 4–5 individuals—either by diving into shallow waters or scavenging from fishing boats and harbors.
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