Tuesday 5 August 2014

Gull's arse


A view you don't normally get of a juvenile Gull. It's probably just as well.

Last year a fat wood-pigeon landed on the opaque plastic roof of my white garden gazebo, unaware that I was beneath it. I quietly put an index finger under its feet, and gently lifted up as if it was perched on my finger, which it was.

It must have wondered what was going on, but it stayed there, trying to work it out. They are surprisingly heavy, but not as heavy as pheasants.

A shooter friend of mine turned up in the pub with a black eye one day, and I asked her what happened.

She had shot a  high overhead pheasant, and it came right down into her face at high speed, knocking her off her feet. It was the ballistic equivalent of being on the receiving end of a punch by Mike Tyson, but only one.

It is amazing to think that this gull has only been out of its shell for a few weeks. They have a bloody difficult life - every other adult does its best to kill them until they get big enough to defend themselves, then they do the same to all the others.

It's a never ending and very familiar cycle.

18 comments:

  1. Darling Tom,

    We have missed you and the everyday tales of life with all its complexities in Bath and beyond.

    We must confess to being rather afraid of seagulls and have quite a few close encounters with them to confirm our fears. They are big and bold so we do pity the first few flights of baby gulls who must have a very hard time of simply staying alive.

    However, the main concern we have regarding this post is altogether different. It is the colour of your gazebo.....white. Now, advice that we were given long ago about white furniture of any kind in the garden is that it looks as if one has sprinkled Aspirin around. We would urge you to think on this and to consider any other colour for your gazebo. After all, one does wish to be chic whilst observing the outdoor wildlife of Bath!!

    Happy Tuesday!

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    1. We MUST trust the Hattatts on this.

      I am wondering, though, where you have placed a garden gazebo. Your windowsill surely isn't wide enough for that?

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    2. Just because it is called a 'garden' gazebo, I use it at my workshop to 'work' under in the rain and sun. I do not have a garden.

      I have experimented with different colours of the gazebo, and - guess what? - the white ones produce a wonderfully mellow and filtered, natural light which is perfect for the making of even more wonderful objects with which to adorn the gardens of those fortunate enough to have them.

      Fo this reason, I don't care what the neighbours think, but thanks for the advice on taste. Much appreciated.

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    3. Sorry, I missed out the 'r' in 'for', so please insert this free apostrophe, Southern-Style: '

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  2. Nice arse! have you read that Warsi has resigned from gov over their policies over Gaza. Wonder if she would have been better to stay and try to influence them otherwise. Probably pie in the sky now I think. I reckon these policies are set in stone for time to come.

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    1. Interesting - I will look up the details. Thanks.

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  3. Amazing photograph - not that I really wished to see a Gull's arse. What always intrigues me is that the farmer can start ploughing a field and there isn't a gull in sight. Before he reaches the end of the field with the first furrow the air is full of them. What kind of communication system is that I wonder.

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  4. Replies
    1. Coming from a duck, that is a compliment indeed.

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  5. They use our Brighton home's roof as an open air Dance Hall.

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  6. The bird is the word, as everybody's heard.

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    Replies
    1. B B B BIrd is the word.... What a mad tune,

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    2. hehee! I gave myself an earworm

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  7. they have funny feet don't they

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