A Gull's Story

Hi:

Checking in for today’s photo report from the beautiful northwest.
I like gulls. My wife doesn’t. We ran across the guy below just sitting on a fence at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Gulls! Yuck… how boring. But wait; there really is a story about this particular gull. He’s not as bird-brained as he looks.

So this gull is just sitting there. Cindy is not interested in him (or her) except that he refuses to move – almost like he’s on guard. She asks me, “Why is he just sitting there?” I tell her there’s a guy that comes by most days to feed the gulls. “He’s probably just waiting for food,” I say.

Cars come and go in the parking lot and the gull patiently remains at his post – pun intended. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of an old, faded red car and Mr. Passive begins screaming his head off. Notice in the picture that there is just one gull, right? Not for long.

Sure enough it’s dinner time (closer to lunch, really). Anyway, it’s the guy with the food and in less time than it takes him to get out of his car, the sky is full of gulls.

I think gulls are beautiful. Their wings remind me of angels. Gulls also remind me of flying rats. They do love their food, but there is no denying they are art in the air.

Turns out the kindly gentleman in the photo above has been making the trip out to what are now the DNWR and Three Crabs Restaurant to toss bread to “his” gulls for fifty-five years. Now that’s dedication! And it’s part of why I love living in the Pacific Northwest. There’s always something interesting (or someone) to discover.

Here’s looking at you. The guys below asked me to pass along that the next time you visit the refuge, bring food.

Sorry, but a ‘gull’ has to make a living somehow. I know, I know. Bad pun.

Cheers….Bob

The Real Eagles of CC (Clallam County)

Hello: I didn't expect to be doing another eagle story -- at least not quite so soon, but today was a good day It was an eagle day to be exact and just like the Real Houswives of the OC, we've got some true drama going on here in the CC (Clallam County).

Today's photo journey began at the county park along Marine Drive. When the tide is out, there are generally two or three eagles sitting on old pier pilings watching for fish in the shallows. Sure enough, as I pulled to a stop, I saw this handsome guy and snapped a couple of shots. Nothing special.



Things were peaceful -- at least until this older eagle showed up. My buddy on the post bristled and scrunched his shoulders like an angry dog. Then he spun around and assumed an aggressive, I’m-gonna-defend-my-post posture. (No, I’m not making this up.) Look at the pic below. Bird looks like the Karate Kid, doesn’t he?





So I’m thinking the younger eagle has taken the older eagle’s perch – and older eagle wants it back. Still, I’m surprised because eagles don’t normally fuss quite so much over a perch. They bump each other off perches and limbs all the time with little more than an angry squawk or two. Sure enough, the older (more experienced) eagle dives for the piling. I don’t know about you, but I’d find a different perch before tangling with an adult bald eagle.




Sure enough, age and cunning triumphs over youthful bluster. Note the postage stamp posture. Now, maybe he’s just showing off, but I’m sure there is something else going on between these two CC eagles. The younger eagle flies to the bank – fairly close to where I’m standing, but it is out of sight.



Within a few seconds, the older eagle above flies once more toward the younger eagle. The younger eagle beats a hasty retreat. I sneak up to investigate and discover that not only did the younger eagle lose its perch, it also lost its meal. Older, bigger (and I assume badder) adult eagle picks up and takes off with a fish from the bank. Man, that’s just cold.



The adult eagle, with fish-in-talon, banks left and starts heading for the trees behind me. I know immediately where it is going. I drive up to the top of the bluff and sure enough, my big, bad eagle is bringing home the bacon – or, in this case, some type of flat fish.




I watched these two feed on the fish for about ten minutes. Pretty cool, huh?

I still feel badly for the younger eagle who lost its meal, but you know what they say about having mouths to feed and there are eggs in the nest.

Well, that’s it from this end. I gotta go fix dinner. I’m thinkin’ I’m in the mood for salmon.

Cheers!

Bob