A feeding frenzy: Where gulls and whales put on a spectacle

From December to April each year, Bryde's whales — classified as first-class nationally protected wildlife in China — are at their most active in the Beibu Gulf, home to Weizhou Island in Beihai, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region of southern China.

The best conditions for whale watching are on warm, calm days. One of the clearest signs of their presence is the sight of gulls swirling and gathering above a patch of water.

When the whales feed, they surge upward through shoals of fish, driving them to the surface. Knowing this, the gulls swiftly descend, hoping to snatch an easy meal.