Traffic Stoppage – Hitchcock Style!
I was sitting in the study doing some work when there was a real commotion outside. Looking out of the window I saw a flock of sea gulls surrounding a bag. It was clearly someone's take away that had not made it home.
As I watched I could see that one sea gull had decided it was his for the taking and much of the noise emanated from him as he scared all the others away. He was obviously 'King Pin' as they did fly off leaving him to attack his prize and 'attack' he did.
First he had to get some of the contents out. This was done by putting his head into the bag and pulling. He managed to get the kebab out and spread quite a lot of it along the road. This encouraged some of the birds to some back but still he fiercely protected the food. Have demolished the first pick, he then went to the un-opened end of the bag and started to flick it, thereby moving the contents to the opening.
Out fell a plastic box with what appeared to have fried rice in. By this time, I can only assume that he was exhausted because gradually other sea gulls were allowed to join the feast and even a crow gingerly crept in. The noise was deafening. Birds clearly have no table manners and cars approaching them had to sound their horns to get them to move out of the way.
After about 10 mins, the road was cleared apart from the bag, the paper and the box. I suppose that is man's rubbish so why should the birds clear up after him! Alfred Hitchcock was right with his film 'The Birds'. They can be terrifying to watch.
Enjoy the story!
Birds ARE interesting to watch but when my daughter was small, my neighbour and I took my daughter and her son to a Coney Island kind of place. For lunch we bought French fries and the seagulls attacked the fries on their way to your mouth. We had to throw the fries down.
Nice narrative sequence.
I love watching birds as they go about trying to gain rewards that we humans have so carelessly tossed aside. Crows are especially adept at this, and I find them so amusing and very intelligent as they maneuver through our ways of packaging food. Thanks for the fun!
Absolutely. I just wish they’d do more quietly!
It is interesting the way we get cross with seagulls when, as you point out, the squabble and remaining rubbish, was caused by a careless human. We get the remains of takeaways left in our garden by the foxes. I have heard crows described as nature’s housekeepers because of the way they clean the roads and paths of road kill and rubbish. Foxes and gulls could come under the same heading. Maybe gratitude would be a more appropriate response.