Pretty gulls in a rowIt's raining, raining, raining here. Our backyard looks like a swamp. Baylee is hiding in a closet, refusing to go outside. It's been raining for a long time. Nature's overnight symphony was filled with oboes and bass drums and tubas and gongs crashing together in succession with a fabulous light show. Baylee was not impressed.
Looking through old photos this morning I found these of gulls taken during a recent drive-about. These guys were in a sheltered slew at Joe Wheeler State Park. It was a cloudy day, the lake was still and quiet and the gulls took advantage of a shallow point well out into the water to preen and rest. Gulls have never truly been my interest. They're "just gulls" when I look out over the water and watch them swirling above the water like snowflakes.
However, looking at this underexposed shot - which I am liking more and more for its contrast - I make out lovely feathers, marks on their bills and serene expressions.
The beautiful feathersThese gulls clearly are not mindful of my opinions. The word "just" has no meaning for them. Fish are abundant, shelter is good and they have lots of company in the way of Canada Geese and Great Blue Herons and even more gulls who fly in after taking their fill of fishes from the lake. This is a great spot for migrating birds. The western side of Alabama is part of the Mississippi Flyway. These "snowbirds" come for winter and leave in the spring, heading back to wherever they came from. Perhaps I need to get to know them better.
12 comments:
The contrast with the chocolate-y water and the light give the gulls a pearly glow to their feathers. Very nice!
I love the "eyes" that you see the world with...beautiful! Miss you!!
I never get tired of seagulls. They just make me happy, even when they're raucous and greedy with one another.
Don't see many gulls around here. Ever since readying Johnathan Livingston sea gull, I've been amazed watching them.
Seems we're done with this storm, and the sun is shinning bright at 40F.
Daisy was not happy last night either Debi! I had to sleep with her and the heavy breathing and shaking were tough to sleep through! Poor thing. (ME!!) The gulls are beautiful. There are so many kinds. I haven't learned them yet either...just a couple. We'll have to do an outing with our books and go gull watching!
I like the photo of the gulls as well. We had to bring Sycamore, a large male English Mastiff, up on the deck last night- he is a big baby once a thunderstorm rolls up. He can push the front door open when he wants to come on in the house- so we usually bring him on up to the covered deck to keep that from happening. :)
nice to see you are back blogging again
You have found a vein of beauty surrounded by the spirit of water. Its as if water captured the gulls to get your attention of the beauty that is in all things.
Excellent photo for sure.
I love the high contrast of this shot. It almost looks like an abstract. Beautiful work.
Cheers!
Julie
Julie Magers Soulen Photography
Blog of Note
We've started referring to the gulls that hang out in parking lots around here "garbage gulls." Seeing seagulls in their natural settings makes me appreciate them anew. Great shot!
I got a chuckle from Mr. McGregor's Daughter's comment Debi! I was going to say, but didn't, that up north where the Ring-billed Gulls are into everything, my husband called them "Dumpster Chickens"! But when he called my sweet guineas "Dumpster Guineas" http://sunnysideup-eve.blogspot.com/2009/01/ethics.html...that's where I had to draw the line!!!
Whew! Glad to know I'm not the only one who hasn't counted gulls as a birdwatching experience! I do love watching them soar over the lake (and beaches during rare visits) but never really got "into" them. They are rather pretty, though, when you look really, really close...and they aren't soaring above your head looking for handouts - LOL! Thanks everyone!
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