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It is difficulties which give birth to miracles.


Here is a Salamanca seagull hanging about waiting for a crack at a wood fired pizza.

What is it with me and seagulls?

Although it is not simply a matter of their multitudes in coastal Tasmania – although that helps when you’re scratching around looking for a photo – only a mug could deny at least an element of the propinquity effect at work here.

No, it is more that gulls are misjudged, slandered and often unfairly maligned. Their critics see them as little more than opportunistic scavengers, when in fact, they are resourceful, inquisitive and highly intelligent birds. They have complex methods of communication and a highly developed social structure, lesbians or otherwise! F

One must admire the way that gull colonies employ mobbing behaviour – think Soviet Army in the 1940s – attacking and harassing would-be predators and other intruders. I have a theory that most gulls are ardent Marxists, and I’ve yet to see any evidence to the contrary.

Comments

Hallam said…
I was walking along with an open tray of hot chips yesterday and one of them was hovering about a foot away in the air at one point. More than a little off putting.

I ran over one at the tip last year. It was just standing there, I was driving slowly as you do at the tip and assumed (as per law of nature) that it would fly out of the way at the last minute. It didn't. It was weird. Cloud of feathers effect too. Odd.
Kris McCracken said…
Hallam, perhaps the one yesterday recognised you as the one responsible for murdering it's brother.

I'd be careful if I were you.
Priyanka Khot said…
We don't have seagulls here in Delhi. My introduction to the species was through Richard Bach's books and then you took the meeting further.

I think they are nice birds.
Roddy said…
Perhaps you should come back to the northwest coast. The farm I cutting wood on has about six magpies. There are also galahs, cockatoos, parrots and more.
Kris McCracken said…
Priyanka, no seagulls?!?

Where are they?

Not down in Goa I hope.

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