Sunday, 6 August 2023

Gull

 

Gulls

The latest post box topper near my home features a gull, an ice cream and a bag of chips (fries for the Americans among us). These are all features of a British summer.

The gull has a chip in its beak. Gulls are notorious in seaside locations for their thieving ways, swooping down on unsuspecting visitors to steal a lump of fish, a tasty chip, a piece of cake or any other toothsome morsel. In short, anything a human is eating is considered fair game. They can be very aggressive and difficult to deter. Probably the best way to escape being targeted by ravenous gulls is to avoid eating outside!

There is no such species as a ‘seagull’ but we all call the flying creatures around the seaside seagulls, even when they come inland to scavenge in rubbish tips. They are very difficult to identify and change their vestments according to the season and their age. The bird on the post box is probably a Lesser black-backed gull, with its yellow beak and legs. The Herring gull has a yellow beak, but its legs are pink.

On reflection, the post box gull looks very like the seagull in one of the Wallace and Gromit films!

13 comments:

  1. The gulls in our town are certainly quite aggressive. They have now developed a new tactic. They wait on the roof of the local Co-Op and swoop down into the car park to steal from the shoppers' trollies as they are loading their shopping into the boot of the car. Crafty little blighters.

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  2. They'll be waiting at the check-outs next!

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  3. What a wonderful, whimsical rendering of a thieving gull! I absolutely love it!

    A year or so ago, I purposely dropped a couple of potato chips (crisps) in a mall parking lot for the nearby gulls to find after I was long gone - or so I thought. I didn't realize how good their eyes are nor how loud and terrifying they are when they spot food! I had to leg it to my car and fling myself in because they were following me and the rest of the bag! LOL

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  4. I've never seen such a cheeky seagull, but I don't live on the coast either... so...
    the pretty crochet made me think of vacations and good vibes. Summer sun, warmth, beach... Laughter.
    Many greetings to you.
    Viola

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    1. It does bring a smile to one's face! Hello to you, Viola:-)

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  5. We witnessed a food theft incident by a gull when we were at a balmy English seaside town. I remember them being quite aggressive in Blackpool many years ago but not elsewhere back then.

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  6. Apparently, they're a real nuisance in some places - the most popular places, of course, where there are rich pickings!

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  7. I am envious of the crochet work. Fun for all to see.

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  8. What fun! I particularly love the chip in the gull's beak :-) xxx

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  9. The little details bring it to life.

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