When I was at the river this afternoon I saw some seagulls standing in the shallows rapidly paddling their feet up and down on the spot, and then eating the critters that were disturbed from the mud. Clever little things.
I haven't noticed gulls doing this before.
Is it a local trick, or do gulls everywhere do this?

Nup, haven't seen any of the locals doing it here.

yep, seen the same thing around melbourne (but at a more remote/nature reserve type places)

seriously when you are surrounded by thousands of them after throwing the first chip (seagulls not backpackers) have a look at how many have only one leg or bits of leg missing. - heaps. Must get bitten off by fish.

Don't underestimate seagulls. The "one legged" ones are playing for the sympathy chip.

Was taking a lunchbreak on an obvious lunchbreak type rock while hiking at Wilson's Prom many years ago. Noticed a seagull 50 metres away pecking at a small stream. He'd figured out that hikers sit on the rock and swat March flies. The March flies roll down the rock, into the stream and the seagull also gets lunch. (hikers don't throw chips). I suspect he'd done it before. Once we figured out what he was up to we metred out the flies to test him. He didn't miss one.

japie said...

Glad to know I am not the only seagull watcher. What I want to know is what they ate before the advent of chips and take aways?

I was actually looking at the patterns in the sand, but their little splish splashing sounds caused me to look up and see what was doing the splashing.

Then again, I am quite observant of animals. Not many people have watched a frog shedding it's skin, or even know that they do.

What did seagulls eat before fish and chips? Little invertebrates in the mud, obviously.

and superlizard, this was a nature reserve part of the river. Fenced off to keep dogs out (and most of the people)

Gestalt said...

maybe they were having a disco.

Footage of Disco Seagull at 3:40 & 7:35

Spotty said...

Gestalt said...

maybe they were having a disco.

Footage of Disco Seagull at 3:40 & 7:35

That's it! That's exactly what they were doing! Cute eh?