Gull Alert!

This gull looks very innocent,
standing on the quayside,
but many of his family cause
big problems at the seaside.

They're growing pretty vicious
and at times completely nasty
if they spot a kid with sandwiches,
an ice-cream or a pastie.

If you're outdoors with a picnic
on a beach or up on deck,
gulls will dive-bomb and they'll steal it
and they don't mind who they peck.

So please do not encourage them,
don't throw them little crumbs,
then fewer frightened children
will go crying to their mums.

And if you have a bite to eat
and gulls are hanging round,
keep well undercover
if a shelter can be found.

© Celia Warren 2016

Some years ago, I was eating a pastie in Dartmouth, when a gull, in one swift swoop, stole half my pastie, and flew off. It seemed quite funny at the time, but I've never eaten in the street since. Now gulls are causing injuries, especially to children, as they grow ever more aggressive in seaside resorts, so much so that the problem was featured on our local TV news last night. Apparently, and incredibly, they are a protected species, so even if people and pets are at risk there is nothing you can do, except stay indoors, especially if you're eating. One poor family had their Yorkshire terrier carried off from their garden by a gull. Many children have received cuts and bruises from direct attacks from the birds. Much as I love birds, it does sound quite scary. If you're at the seaside, try and eat safely under cover.

Today the grey cloud is a lighter shade of grey with sunny intervals. And the wind dropped enough for me to give one of the garden benches its first coat of creosote. Need to turn it over to do the bottom and then add a second coat on the next dry day we have. Then we can unwrap the other seat and do the same with that one.