This older seagull, let’s call him Herman Herring Gull, very recently was taking a snooze on our neighbor’s pier rail and – amazingly – doing so pointed into a stiff breeze. As we got closer, his yellow eyes squinted open and he began glaring at us.
When we got within about 100 feet of him, Herman dipped off the rail, skimmed the water, swooped straight up to about 50 feet, and circled back and around us twice before heading out – all the while cursing us foully.
03/24/20
It was a great feat of flying under those windy conditions and we got the message. This small encounter reminded us that it’s easy to take our common winter birds for granted – to forget how talented and beautiful they are, each with its own personality.
Leighton Photo Archive
The lesson learned is transferable: it’s also easy not to really see others who are around us often, sometimes even loved ones and friends. (Brooklin, Maine)