Larus californicus

So, today I get up and ponder over getting ready for church. It's Sunday and I go through my usual ritual of telling myself I'm going to be on time today. I tell myself this every Sunday, I'm never on time. But how can I begin life in the morning if I don't sit down at my computer first? Never start a sentence with but. But I can't help it, I'm addicted to my computer. It's the first place I go every morning, and since my church now begins at 9:00 AM, I know as soon as I plunk myself down on my cushy computer chair, it's a guaranteed fact I'm going to be late. So today I forced myself to stay clear of it. I went into my study and contemplated sitting down, but I knew it would only cause problems. That's when I looked out my window and saw them, the gulls, they were swooping in at an alarming rate, hundreds of them. They all lit down in the field just behind my house. It was such an interesting sight, I ran for my camera. (There's more than one way to be late for church.) I know I've seen lots of seagulls flying around at least a million times, but today it intrigued me. What goes on in the seagull world? Do they have some secret way of calling each other up when they rise with the sun. I tried to think of their conversation. Does it go something like this? "Hey Bill, we're heading on over to Pappy's field today for breakfast, fresh worms and grubs, bring the gang!" Who decides just what field their going to migrate to and hang out in? I couldn't find my telephoto lens so I dismissed the picture idea and threw on my skirt. But then I started fretting about where my lens was and if I'd lost it. I decided to look for it. I knew if I went to church without knowing where it was I would just sit there the whole entire time and stew over it instead of trying to think about Jesus. I need to think about Jesus. I need to pay attention because, I need that in my life. So I took some time and hunted. Now I knew for sure I was going to be late. I was so happy when I finally found it - the lens. That's when the idea hit. I got this brilliant idea to take my camera to church with me and use it in my young women's lesson." It was five after nine now, so I grabbed my stuff and jumped in my car, and drove like a mad woman down the road. Just as I rounded the corner not far from my house, I saw all the gulls again. They had moved over to the Christensen's field, it's right next door to Pappy's field that sits behind my house. I pulled off the road and grabbed my camera from the back seat and started taking pictures.

It was an exhilarating moment when they all lifted up in flight.

When they rose to the height of the mountains I could hardly tell they were there. I had an amazing feeling while I was taking their picture. Some things just can’t be communicated, one has to be there and experience it. I finally made my way to church and when it was over, I decided to come home and learn a few things about seagulls. After saving the pioneers with all their newly planted crops, and earning a valued reputation to the farmer, the seagull became protected under Utah law. It was decided because it is an insectivorous bird (feeds on insects), it should be protected. It was protected along with the owl, hawk, lark, whippoorwill, thrush, swallow, snowbird, and any other insectivorous or song birds. The California gull, Larus californicus, became the official state bird on February 14, 1955. I couldn't believe that was only one year before I was born. House Bill 51 was signed into law by Gov. J Bracken Lee (Utah Code 63-13-9). The bill was introduced by Richard C. Howe a member of the House of Representatives. I was amazed to learn seagulls can indeed drink both fresh and salt water. Most animals are unable to do this, but seagulls have a special pair of glands right above their eyes, specifically designed to flush the salt from their systems through openings in the bill. That is why you'll see seagulls near large bodies of water such as the Great Salk Lake where fresh water may be hard to find. Seagulls live anywhere between 5 to 15 years depending on their environment and predators. The average is probably closer to 7 to 10 years. Some individual gulls have been known to live over 25 years. Seagull eggs are laid and nested two to three at a time, and it takes about 26 days from laying to hatching. Seagulls will eat just about anything, from fish to small rodents. They know how to break open clams and other shellfish and they love to eat at McDonalds out in the parking lot. Left-over fries are a favorite of these birds. They also like bread and anything else us humans offer them. The gull performs a valuable service to mankind. Besides pooping on us, it scavenges up great numbers of dead or injured animals and organic litter which could pose a health threat to humans. In the fields such as the one behind my house, it devours large amounts of destructive pests such as grasshoppers, and mice. Many people wonder how come they never see baby gulls? Seagulls are protective of their young, and before six months of age or so, they continue to nest as their parents bring back food, regurgitated for their pleasure. After reaching juvenile age, you'll see these young gulls flying with their adult counterparts. They look similar but are slightly smaller, with a more mottled coloring. Seagulls usually live far from predators such as humans. You can find them on offshore and otherwise uninhabited islands. You can also find them in abandoned barns and other large buildings, dumping grounds, sea cliffs, and other remote areas. Gulls are known to sometimes live many miles away from where you see them during the day. Some gulls migrate, especially ones in the northern parts of the world, such as Alaska. Like other migratory birds, they go south during the winter to where the pickins' are better. The migratory patterns vary widely depending on where they reside in the summer, but they can travel thousands of miles to find better food sources. Ok so now you've had your seagull lesson for the day, I'll tell you Deserey's joke. Are you ready? Question: Why do sea-gulls fly over the sea? Answer: Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels! Awe ahhahahaha! Good one Des. PS, yes I was late for church.