Yes, but how long can I sit in the fog? How long will the fog, in which I sit, remain foggy? What do I do with all the brilliant, even if foggy, realizations I've had after things clear, presuming they do? Your piece brings forth so many interesting thoughts this morning, and it isn't really even that foggy here.
You know you have fans when we enjoy reading about gull barf! Only the very curious among us would take advantage of this learning opportunity and care to investigate such regurgitations and droppings to see what was on the menu of our feathered and furred friends. Never having dissected a gull, I can't help but wonder what their digestive track/organs look like. Bullet proof Teflon?
Sitting on a rock with fog obscuring distant details, musing upon and observing a gull, all things I believe I share with you, Bryan, but your writing is another order of things: sublime, graceful, factual and knowledgable but never pompous, highly enjoyable. I'm with you, following your thought-wanderings and savoring them all. Thanks, good friend. By the way, I would have investigated that "plop" as well.
It's sort of interesting that they can swallow sharp crustacean shells and regurgitate them without damage, though I've seen gulls dropping crabs onto rock, presumably to break up the bite a bit. (A risky strategy in that gulls also love stealing from one another.)
When Covid first hit and we were homeschooling our grandson here in the winter of 2020/21 we did lots of hikes in the woods and found many owl pellets, which we brought home and dissected. I have photos.
I wonder if in the days of yore, there were experts at reading Gull barf runes? From the photo I can't help but think, contained within those forms, there's an answer on how to clear the fog.
Aww Jonathan Seagull... I was actually a late bloomer to that book, my partner just got it for me a couple years ago. It stands the test of time, it's still wonderful!
The vision of the author bent contemplatively over the “pile of (gull) puke” will stay with me, for good or ill. Thank you for that, I think. Sitting this morning over my pleasant coffee, with cool sunshine playing over the redbud tree and the last of the Blue Wood Asters, I was out of ideas for how to fix the churning world. (A few years ago, I at least had theories.) I need some coastal fog to clear my head.
This is just wonderful. You always bring to life and color your attention to the small things that deserve our attention. This was fascinating, and how neat that you were able to photograph what the gull left behind. Thank you for sharing, as always.
A Gull Barfing by the Sea
"... owls that prey on small mammals regurgitate (once a day or so) a turd-like pellet of fir and bones." Hmm.
Yes, but how long can I sit in the fog? How long will the fog, in which I sit, remain foggy? What do I do with all the brilliant, even if foggy, realizations I've had after things clear, presuming they do? Your piece brings forth so many interesting thoughts this morning, and it isn't really even that foggy here.
You know you have fans when we enjoy reading about gull barf! Only the very curious among us would take advantage of this learning opportunity and care to investigate such regurgitations and droppings to see what was on the menu of our feathered and furred friends. Never having dissected a gull, I can't help but wonder what their digestive track/organs look like. Bullet proof Teflon?
Sitting on a rock with fog obscuring distant details, musing upon and observing a gull, all things I believe I share with you, Bryan, but your writing is another order of things: sublime, graceful, factual and knowledgable but never pompous, highly enjoyable. I'm with you, following your thought-wanderings and savoring them all. Thanks, good friend. By the way, I would have investigated that "plop" as well.
Love this! Great writing and thoughts :).
It's sort of interesting that they can swallow sharp crustacean shells and regurgitate them without damage, though I've seen gulls dropping crabs onto rock, presumably to break up the bite a bit. (A risky strategy in that gulls also love stealing from one another.)
When Covid first hit and we were homeschooling our grandson here in the winter of 2020/21 we did lots of hikes in the woods and found many owl pellets, which we brought home and dissected. I have photos.
This was fun - and informative too. none of that "oh look at the pretty bird" stuff. Thanks.
I once watched a willet barf up a couple of small pellets consisting of mostly sand.
Sue Wetmore
I wonder if in the days of yore, there were experts at reading Gull barf runes? From the photo I can't help but think, contained within those forms, there's an answer on how to clear the fog.
Love your gull thoughts. I was on the shore of the Arabian Sea in south India in January 2023, and noticed - NO GULLS. Any thoughts on why not?
Aww Jonathan Seagull... I was actually a late bloomer to that book, my partner just got it for me a couple years ago. It stands the test of time, it's still wonderful!
Fabulous title, fun and insightful writing, thank you so much for making me laugh while learning something new :-)
This was riveting. Thanks!
The vision of the author bent contemplatively over the “pile of (gull) puke” will stay with me, for good or ill. Thank you for that, I think. Sitting this morning over my pleasant coffee, with cool sunshine playing over the redbud tree and the last of the Blue Wood Asters, I was out of ideas for how to fix the churning world. (A few years ago, I at least had theories.) I need some coastal fog to clear my head.
This is just wonderful. You always bring to life and color your attention to the small things that deserve our attention. This was fascinating, and how neat that you were able to photograph what the gull left behind. Thank you for sharing, as always.