Seagulls?

[cee-dee]

OK, where are you birding types?

Every afternoon I go for a walk round the lake and from October to March it's visited every day by varying numbers of Seagulls (I dunno which species).

They don't seem to be finding any food, they seem to spend the day either floating around on the lake, (standing on the ice if it's frozen) or flying around overhead or perching on the electricity cables.

The do, however seem to steal any food the resident ducks, Coot and Moorhens find and also descend like screeching vultures if (like me) you throw any food to the residents.

The Moorhens and Coot are afraid of them and I've seen them duck if a gull flies over them even if the gull's not actually heading right for them.

I've seen gulls chasing Moorhens if it manages to get some food and I've seen the Coot diving to get away from a gull which then pursues the Coot relentlessly if it surfaces still holding on to the bit of food.

The ducks, being bigger don't seem to be bothered about the gulls but no matter where the Moorhens or Coot happen to be, a gull is stationed not far away and once it moves, other gulls come looking to see what's happening just in case there's any change of pinching some food another bird's found.

Now, how can it be worthwhile energy-wise for them to fly 20 miles or more to the lake, hang around all day for the meagre oddments they can scrounge/steal then fly all that way back?

Surely it would be easier to stay where they were, find what food they can there and not have to expend all that energy flying all that way?

In the morning I see them making their way inland and late afternoon I see them flying back the way they came.

[**bustysinclaire**]

I know people love to feed the ducks and it is a very common thing, but where we are we've been not to feed them bread but wild bird food, seeds and meal worms. Apparently the bread swells inside them and the don't digest it very well. Xx

[**bustysinclaire**]

Sorry should have said asked not to feed them bread xx

[cee-dee]

Today was the first day for months that there were no seagulls at the lake. Also, all the ice has melted so the birds could make full use of the whole lake.

I think the Moorhens and Coot were surprised not to be dive-bombed as I threw them some food (I give them dry dog food, they seem to like it).

One of the Coot semed pleased to see me, it came running along the bank for some food. After it and its mate on the water had some food I walked off down the path to find the other pair of Coot and one of those came paddle-flying towards me from way down in the South end.

Both pairs of Coot seemed to be looking to the sky as if they were expecting to be dive-bombed at any moment but it was only much later that a lone seagull arrived and it didn't stay long.

[theelench]

Something's in the air then.  When I opened the curtains this morning it was noticeable that there were no gulls on the roof-tops opposite.  There must have been a couple of hundred on the playing fields behind the houses, traditionally a sign of stormy weather to come, I believe?

[fallen-archie]

Or as is the case around here of muck spreading 😀I think they will be scavenging for worms I expect following the cold spell, never heard that saying tbh but you may well be right!

[cee-dee]

When I was a kid and there were loads of seagulls inland, the old folks used to say "Ah, must be stormy weather at sea".

Then again, when it was ploughing time, flocks of seagulls used to follow the plough obviously getting plenty of worms?

[theelench]

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@cee-deewrote:

When I was a kid and there were loads of seagulls inland, the old folks used to say "Ah, must be stormy weather at sea".

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Now you've jogged my memory, that is more like what I was told, we were living further inland and nearer to London back then.

Either way, I didn't notice any stormy weather over night, the gulls are back on the roof tops this morning and the playing fields are deserted again.

So perhaps that's not such a good guide to the weather.

[**bustysinclaire**]

They seem to have gone from our lake over the last few days, its probably that none of us really understand the habits of our feathered friends properly.

[margaret*e]

I haven't seen any in my garden for a while, there used to be some there every day.

[fallen-archie]

As I said earlier if someone starts muckspreading you will go from zero to zillions in minutes, don’t know if they have a keen sense of smell or just follow the tractors likewise they will always be found at your local refuse dump scavenging for tasty morsels😩

[fallen-archie]

First spring migrant spotted today at Marton mere reserve near Blackpool in the form of a sand Martin, now that is early😀

[cee-dee]

There were twelve gulls there yesterday but there were none today.

However, there was a Gooseander there and I was told there was quite a flock of Megansers there this morning.

[**bustysinclaire**]

 j