The morning sun opens a dense curtain of fog over the water, revealing a dream of white wings, soaring, hovering, diving, chasing, stopping, and changing direction on a dime; the power and grace on display are enthralling. A new migrant has arrived from their breeding grounds in Canada and the Great Lakes, where they nest in colonies on islands.
Loved this post about Gulls and particularly the Ring-billed Gulls. Excellent line: "Few birds are as elegant as gulls in flight. There, by the grace of gulls, goes beauty beyond measure."
I mostly see Ring-billed Gulls up here in Ottawa. They seem like such an overlooked and underappreciated bird by many. I love to watch them fly and soar and dive.
What an enlightening tribute to gulls, and thank you for sharing these two beautiful poems, neither of which I had read before. I will enjoy the image of Mary Oliver’s gull sleeping on its lion as much as I appreciate the gulls super power of passing nutrients through our environment, by fish or by French fry!
Beautiful pictures again. ❤️ I live near the shore of Lake Ontario and I love watching and listening to the gulls. Thank you from a free subscriber and thanks to your paid subscribers as I'm not able to afford it at this time.
Bird lover and watcher that I am, I still cannot, with all my shorebird identification guides, accurately identify individual species of the great Gull sangha. As I said elsewhere, "I don't do gulls!" Wonderful birds nonetheless. I've had them come and snatch food out of my ourstretched hand!
Beautiful❣️ An ode to the gulls. Having lived with them for 13 years on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, where seagulls are regarded as scavengers and 'pests'... your writing on this 'dream of white wings' sets a whole new tone, scatters a spectrum of dazzling lights all over them, between sea and sky. Thank you 🙏
I especially liked "They are going about their lives the way they have for millions of years, as an embodiment of elegance, beauty, grace, and vulgarity. This improbable mix of traits makes them a lot like us. That may be why we have a hard time appreciating them. It is hard to take an honest look in the mirror." - Thank you Bill, always a pleasure to read what you have to share
I love your work. The beauty of your photography and the narrative inspires appreciation of what we may regard as common but is the essence of all life. And the poets are some of my favorites over the years, calling us to beauty and awareness. Thank you.
Another wonderful, poetic essay, with amazing photos. I have always loved watching the gulls hanging on the wind off the stern of a ship. When I think of gulls, I often think of a wonderful poem by Christian Morgenstern, a German poet of the early 20th century. Here it is in German, followed by a (my lame) translation into English.
Loved this post about Gulls and particularly the Ring-billed Gulls. Excellent line: "Few birds are as elegant as gulls in flight. There, by the grace of gulls, goes beauty beyond measure."
I mostly see Ring-billed Gulls up here in Ottawa. They seem like such an overlooked and underappreciated bird by many. I love to watch them fly and soar and dive.
Your last photo of the Gull is awesome.
What an enlightening tribute to gulls, and thank you for sharing these two beautiful poems, neither of which I had read before. I will enjoy the image of Mary Oliver’s gull sleeping on its lion as much as I appreciate the gulls super power of passing nutrients through our environment, by fish or by French fry!
Beautiful pictures again. ❤️ I live near the shore of Lake Ontario and I love watching and listening to the gulls. Thank you from a free subscriber and thanks to your paid subscribers as I'm not able to afford it at this time.
Beautifully written. I have always loved gulls. 💕
Bird lover and watcher that I am, I still cannot, with all my shorebird identification guides, accurately identify individual species of the great Gull sangha. As I said elsewhere, "I don't do gulls!" Wonderful birds nonetheless. I've had them come and snatch food out of my ourstretched hand!
Beautiful❣️ An ode to the gulls. Having lived with them for 13 years on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, where seagulls are regarded as scavengers and 'pests'... your writing on this 'dream of white wings' sets a whole new tone, scatters a spectrum of dazzling lights all over them, between sea and sky. Thank you 🙏
I especially liked "They are going about their lives the way they have for millions of years, as an embodiment of elegance, beauty, grace, and vulgarity. This improbable mix of traits makes them a lot like us. That may be why we have a hard time appreciating them. It is hard to take an honest look in the mirror." - Thank you Bill, always a pleasure to read what you have to share
Another wonderful post, Bill. Beautiful and poignant in turn. I'm reminded of Adam Nicholson's excellent book, The Seabird's Cry. Have you read it?
This is so lovely! I have always loved gulls and your writing and pictures bring them alive for me. Thank you
Absolutely spectacular photos! Ty for sharing 💓
I really Ike the birds too! I enjoy reading your emails!
Beautiful! Thank you for changing the way I think about Gulls. Here in the north they just pests who steal food at the beach.
I love your work. The beauty of your photography and the narrative inspires appreciation of what we may regard as common but is the essence of all life. And the poets are some of my favorites over the years, calling us to beauty and awareness. Thank you.
Another wonderful, poetic essay, with amazing photos. I have always loved watching the gulls hanging on the wind off the stern of a ship. When I think of gulls, I often think of a wonderful poem by Christian Morgenstern, a German poet of the early 20th century. Here it is in German, followed by a (my lame) translation into English.
Möwenlied, by Christian Morgenstern
Die Möwen sehen alle aus,
als ob sie Emma hießen.
Sie tragen einen weißen Flaus
und sind mit Schrot zu schießen.
Ich schieße keine Möwe tot,
ich laß sie lieber leben —
und füttre sie mit Roggenbrot
und rötlichen Zibeben.
O Mensch, du wirst nie nebenbei
der Möwe Flug erreichen.
Wofern du Emma heißest, sei
zufrieden, ihr zu gleichen.
Seagull Song, by Christian Morgenstern.
The seagulls all look,
as though their name were Emma.
They wear a white feather mantle
and can be shot with shot.
I don't shoot any seagulls dead,
I prefer to let them live --
and feed them with rye bread
and reddish currants.
Oh human, you'll never accompany
any seagulls in their flight.
If your name is Emma, be
content, that you share the name.