The Sea Gull's Gulp

Posted by Kathie Brown

Herring Gull with Starfish in Gloucester, MA 10-23-11

Who knew a gull could gulp so much

who knew what to say,

Watching while a sea gull gulped

a starfish down that day

I saw the spiny starfish

in the sea gull's yellow beak

He tossed and turned it 'round and 'round

and never made a peep!

And when it was positioned right

he opened wide his gape,

then Gulp! he got that starfish down

before it could escape!

~Kathie Adams Brown (November 2, 2011)

Birding is fun because so often we get to see things that we never would have if we were not out watching birds. While gulls are commonly seen along the coast and even inland, often in parking lots and around garbage dumps I still find them fun to watch and amusing in their antics. When my friend Kathryn and I recently visited Gloucester, Massachusetts we were surprise to see this Herring Gull with a starfish in its beak and even more surprised as we watched it swallow the thing whole! We were both amazed. As I was pondering what to post for this month's article the poem above just came to me and I thought it would be a fun thing that adults and kids would both like. So...I hope you enjoy the photos and the poem and next time you see a sea gull on the beach, I hope it makes you smile... because Birding really is Fun in more ways than one!

Please join me at Kathie's Birds to read more about my birding adventures!