Watched (For durleybeachbum) by Chipka
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Description
Andrea posted an image entitled “Watched” in which we are shown a normal feeding ritual: Rosie and Fritz, known to inhale their food, must be watched, as Ralph (a gentleman) takes his time. As a particular dachshund must not be allowed to eat more than his diet allows, it’s necessary to stand guard.
When I saw that image—and read the account attached to it—I immediately thought of something I’d seen earlier that day. As I returned home from work, I happened to pass a local McDonald’s: one of the older, more grimy, quite ugly members of that fast food chain. I suspect that there is grime in there dating back to the Paleolithic Age. Well…maybe not. At any rate, I walked past that place, and was immediately halted by an odd tableau.
Seagulls are excellent scavengers and like most urban-adapted birds, they’ve taken on somewhat more predatory modes of behavior. It would seem—also—that some members of the species have developed a taste for McDonald’s french fries: or anything else they’re able to steal. Some gulls are sneaky, however; they don’t just swoop in for a quick theft. They bide their time. They wait, and judging by the odd sounds this one made, they engage their…um…unwitting compatriots in conversation. I don’t know if the gull managed to steal anything, but I am sure that the rather large, feathered person, spent quite a substantial amount of time, simply watching a human eat.
And so in honor of watching people (of any species) here is a variation on a theme for Andrea.
As always: thank you for viewing (watching?) reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (10)
Wolfenshire
Lunch is always better when you have a friend to share it with.
ysvry
great foto and story.
MrsRatbag
They do make some rather entreating quiet pleas in addition to their shrill cries as they wait for their chance to snatch a treat; I have a small group who has discovered my morning crow feedings at work and have decided to muscle in. Excellent capture of this patient bandid!
jendellas
Love this capture, its amazing, like people what rubbish seagulls will eat :o)))
durleybeachbum
Wonderful, Chip, Thankyou for thinking of me. In St Ives in Cornwall they have gulls that actually attack visitors and steal Icecream or anything else being about to be eaten. They did a study which showed that individual birds employed different strategies to commit the crimes. I won't put a MacDonalds meal anywhere near my face, but gulls seem to be less choosy. Mind you the gull folk don't have to worry about their waistlines or chloresterol levels. Great candid catch!
Faemike55
Wonderful candid capture, Chip! It is interesting to watch the birds at work. When we got a rather large shipment of Pork rinds, we discovered that they were not really pristine so we commenced to feed the gulls! In trying this we learned that gulls are picky - they tried the PRs and promptly ignored them thereafter
anmes
Great capture
netot
This is probably the reason why the gulls are developing higher cholesterol levels!! Fantastic capture Chip!
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God bless.
TomDart
A picture is worth 1000 words? Yes, but generally deserves more. I once believed my photos should tell their own story...I have learned with some, text is best sparse so imagination is allowed to develop the scene. With others, such as your fine candid photo here, the text is well done, appropriate and needed. Now, with the story, I can imagine the grungy fast food place and I have more than one scene to appreciate.