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NaBloPoMo: Springwatch from my window
Jun. 8th, 2010 11:32 pm My seagull babies are still on the roof.
The day after I thought the first one had made it back to the nest a second baby appeared and I realised the first one had been there all along. After a brief sighting of the parent I didn't see them again for the rest of the day and was worried the babies were going to starve. I called the RSPCA in the early evening and they took all my details and told me they'd call me back. They didn't call me back that evening.
Luckily, though, I noticed the parent bird returned that night and slept with the chicks, on the roof, all night. The next morning they were there until around 1pm. Shortly after 1pm I got a call from an RSPCA inspector and I was able to tell her that the parents appeared to be looking after them. The inspector asked me to keep an eye on them and call them back if they took a turn for the worse.
That evening, once again, one of the parents slept on the roof with them - all through the torrential rain.
Today the whole family was there, both Mum and Dad. I want to get some photos of them but the parents are on to me and know that I stand behind the half opened blinds to watch them. Previously they only squawked when I actually opened the blinds and stood at the window but now they listen for movement in my room and watch the window. I've managed to sneak upstairs a couple of times now and catch the whole family sleeping - which is just gorgeous - but it's tough.
I feel so protective of them all - I keep referring to them as my seagulls. The chicks are growing so fast, they are already noticeably taller than they were two days ago and much, much steadier on their feet. I can't wait for them so start fledging. I want to try and film the whole family together so I can send it Springwatch but it's going to take some patience.
I sent my Dad the photos I put up the other day and he looked them up, apparently I have Herring Gulls and they only have 2 or 3 eggs, so these chicks are undoubtedly their only ones, moreover, contrary to the popular opinion of most Brightonians, there aren't as many of them as there once were and apparently the UK breeding population is concentrated to less than 10 sites. My gulls are precious
The day after I thought the first one had made it back to the nest a second baby appeared and I realised the first one had been there all along. After a brief sighting of the parent I didn't see them again for the rest of the day and was worried the babies were going to starve. I called the RSPCA in the early evening and they took all my details and told me they'd call me back. They didn't call me back that evening.
Luckily, though, I noticed the parent bird returned that night and slept with the chicks, on the roof, all night. The next morning they were there until around 1pm. Shortly after 1pm I got a call from an RSPCA inspector and I was able to tell her that the parents appeared to be looking after them. The inspector asked me to keep an eye on them and call them back if they took a turn for the worse.
That evening, once again, one of the parents slept on the roof with them - all through the torrential rain.
Today the whole family was there, both Mum and Dad. I want to get some photos of them but the parents are on to me and know that I stand behind the half opened blinds to watch them. Previously they only squawked when I actually opened the blinds and stood at the window but now they listen for movement in my room and watch the window. I've managed to sneak upstairs a couple of times now and catch the whole family sleeping - which is just gorgeous - but it's tough.
I feel so protective of them all - I keep referring to them as my seagulls. The chicks are growing so fast, they are already noticeably taller than they were two days ago and much, much steadier on their feet. I can't wait for them so start fledging. I want to try and film the whole family together so I can send it Springwatch but it's going to take some patience.
I sent my Dad the photos I put up the other day and he looked them up, apparently I have Herring Gulls and they only have 2 or 3 eggs, so these chicks are undoubtedly their only ones, moreover, contrary to the popular opinion of most Brightonians, there aren't as many of them as there once were and apparently the UK breeding population is concentrated to less than 10 sites. My gulls are precious
