HEADLESS GHOST PICTURE - is this a real ghostly photograph of a headless ghost?

Sender's Comments:

I was on holiday in Hastings and was watching the sea gull feeding and took a photo the later looked a pictures taken to notice a figure with a hat with the seagulls.

I was using a digital camera.

Craig's Verdict:

At first glance this ghost looks just like a human figure dressed in some kind of spooky robe. To me it looks like it has no head- though there is a hint of a head in the picture. However if you look closely you can see that part of the ghost's form is made by the after images of the flapping wings of the sea gulls.

Our eyes fill in the rest from the white reflections in the glass. Take away the gulls and the figure is no longer seen. This is a fascinating picture but in my opinion is an optical illusion.