SEAGULLS WITH a dark band around their beaks posed at Crescent Beach soon after my earlier post where I quoted the author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Like Jonathan these birds seemed a bit different than the usual variety that spend most of their time foraging for food along the coast. Perhaps they came from a great distance.
These gulls preened like cats and relaxed in the sun, seeming to communicate with one another in mysterious subtle ways. Smaller and fluffier than most, I wondered if they were juveniles. After a little research, I discovered the birds are aptly named ring-billed gulls. They let me creep a little closer with my camera but only up to a certain point.
A couple of them suddenly flew off into the horizon.
Their wide black-tipped wings flapped with ease as they receded into the pale blue sky.
My heart soared with them but my feet were stuck in the sand.
Sadly, I won't lift off the ground no matter how hard I twirl my arms ... but I am free as a bird to imagine other possibilities despite my obvious lack of feathers.People spread throughout the earth like seagulls and reached great heights because their creative thinking merged with their ambitions and took wing.
Is it possible that one day we might not need boats, planes or trains to get from here to there? Gazing at birds in flight, we get an inkling that the future is wide open on both global and personal levels. And although there are inspiring phrases that speak brilliantly of that potential, I like the simple words of children's author Dr. Seuss who said: "Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!"
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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms
Lovely seagull photos.
ReplyDeleteThe ones with grey spots on their heads are nearly-grown juveniles. Young gulls have brown spots all over, and gradually lose them as they grow up.
Remember Lynette's pictures of the baby gulls? I've never seen babies in person, but I've been looking for them since 1963.
Will E you from Calgary.
Luv, K
I enjoyed this gull post from your part of the world very much.
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely little birds, do you wonder what they are saying to each other?
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I have ever seen anything like them before...we have gulls up here, but they are skittish.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Great gull series!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI do love your seagulls!! I miss seeing them where I lived before where I could visit them every day! Your captures are the next best thing! Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos!!
ReplyDeleteI like seagulls. The are so funny, pesky, noisy -- gulls! Fun post!
ReplyDeleteI love your seagulls shots, well done. Thanks for sharing, have a great day.
ReplyDeleteOne day we will all be able to fly like birds but probably not in my lifetime. Enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteI love dr seuss. Very clever stories. I have never seen seagulls with these rings around their beak. I must look out for them. Great post
ReplyDeleteYour post took me to a long exploration of the intelligence of seagulls, Penelope :) I wasn't able to support my theory that they are up there with crows on the IQ scale, but I remain convinced :) I loved the shades of black and white against "earth" or "sky" backgrounds in these photographs. Somehow, they seemed to set the tone for your "dare to dream" theme, one that always leaves me encouraged for our future.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the seagulls.
ReplyDeleteWhich would come true faster, our understanding of seagull language or our travelling freely without the help of aircrafts or boats? To see birds taking off and disappearing into sky high is refreshing and uplifting. Our body is bound to the earth while our heart has wings to fly freely if only we spread the wings.
ReplyDeleteRing-billed gulls are the most prevalent gull species on the northern shore of Lake Ontario. I didn't realize they lived so far west of here.
ReplyDeleteKay is correct that juvenile ring bills are brownish. I have photos of them and also hatchlings I'll have to show you sometime. )Have to look for them first. lol)
To see them preening and being relaxed is soothing, but when I think of the long distance they fly, I am amazed with their mysterious potency.
ReplyDelete"Jonathan Livingston Seagull" was very popular in 1970s in Japan. It caused a social phenomena. The story is a quite symbolic.
Thanks a lot for taking me to a seagulls' fabulous world!
keiko
I couldn't find a place to comment on your other blog so I'm popping back here because I wanted to let you know how much I love the prelude to autumn shot. I can't wait for autumn!
ReplyDeleteSeagulls never seem quite like ordinary birds to me. I don't know if they are more intelligent than most, or just more aggressive and forward where humans are concerned. I think I would have rather liked smaller fluffier ones!
ReplyDelete