I wandered into town yesterday
– and always pass this school, Eastbourne College … with its cricket pitch, or
rugby field impeccably maintained …
Eastbourne College with its influx of
Herring Gulls and 'pups' ....
… ‘cept it was covered with masses of hungry souls … I could only ponder if the school was debugging itself before term started?!
Herring Gull composite
I don’t know whether they got bored fishing, or pestering the tourists!! … but I’ve never seen the beautiful grounds invaded in this way …
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| Some close to me - as I leant over the wall |
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
29 comments:
I've seen pigeons gather on sports fields like that - usually the groundsman has been re-seeding the pitch. Not sure what would have attracted a pitch invasion by gulls.
Hari OM
It's quite common - all about food! Quite likely the groundsman has 'scoured' the grass, uncorking a few worms along the way. YAM xx
As Yamini says (and interesting post linked) it's likely all about food. And the fact that you don't normally see them there but suddenly they appear means something has happened to bring bugs up to the surface.
Must've been some critter emerging that they found delicious.
How fascinating. Like everyone else I wonder about the attraction - and find the gulls themselves attractive.
Beautiful town and Eastbourne College building looks great
I found this interesting
That's what our campuses look like after lunch every day (in the before times), except with seagulls. They come for the trash the kiddos leave everywhere. It's a feast for them.
I hope it rains before teams play sports there. I imagine the birds will leave behind a good bit of poop.
Love,
Janie
The herring gulls seem to have the best location to eat, fly, rest and enjoy the water views. I would like to have a small beach hut, with an espresso machine/computer/bed, right on that same spot :)
Even gull pups need an education!
@ John – yes sometimes there are a few mourning doves on the grass … but this was an influx … but thank you for that suggestion – I thought it might be the flying ants emerging, but I couldn’t see any …
@ Yam – thank you re the link –interesting to see the RSPB guide. All about food makes sense – helped by the groundsman … and uncorking those squiggly things – thanks …
@ Ian – yes her (Yam’s) linked post is interesting … I’d thought it was linked to flying ants … but they’re not due out yet and weren’t around. I am now duly educated re the mass influx!
@ Alex – yes … looks like critters must have been squiggling to the surface ready for the bird feeding frenzy …
@ EC – it was a balmy evening and a delightful sight to see outside the College … usually there’s just a few …
@ Steve – thank you … good to see you again …
@ Jo-Anne … thank you …
@ Liz – oh how ghastly a field of litter … which the gulls will quickly take advantage of …
@ Janie – oh it’ll rain, or the sprinklers will be out – and the poop will add to the glee of critters!
@ Hels – the herring gulls have learnt quickly and are now resident all over the UK – the rubbish dumps attract the scavengers away from their coastal over-fished herring grounds.
These gulls – have two cricket pavilions, a clock, lights … and no doubt the very modern pavilion has a cafeteria!! So the human gulls when playing sport are looked after! Great idea though for a short story …
Cheers to you all – the wind direction has changed today – so I suspect the gulls will be back to the coast – mind you, it’s only about 100 yards away! Stay safe and have good weeks - Hilary
Hi Keith - you snuck in ... but yes those gull pups need to know where the best food is - and they certainly had found it here ... cheers Hilary
A beautiful spot for the gulls to hang out! Hope you have a happy week, Hilary!
There have been quite a lot of reports of gulls feeding on flying ants this year. As it was evening they may have been emerging (or falling back to earth after mating).
Could also have been a search for leatherjackets (cranefly larvae) but I expect the groundsman treats for those--and for chafer grub since the latter in particular make a huge mess of grass by eating the roots, then the gulls and corvids make a huge mess of digging them up (and get the blame for ruining the...pitch, golf course, lawn...)
I wonder if you had a substantial rainfall, Hilary, that might have forced worms and other subterranean creatures to the surface, creating a feeding bonanza for opportunistic gulls. They were doubtless attracted by easy (and plentiful) pickings. They will leave fertilizer in return so it seems like a fair deal!
When I was about ten years old, my cousin and I were sent to 'Junior Holidays' in a prep school at the foot of Beachy and right on the front on a cliff-top. We loved it and mixed with lots of 'posh' kids from very different backgrounds to us but we had a wonderful time and were very well treated, which I have never forgotten...
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s absentmindedly adroit Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Maybe they just mowed and turned up some good grubs.
Perhaps a new Hitchcock film in the making. Did the birds seem ominous?
Have a good week (and cover your head)
I wonder if they were reseeding the grass, and the birds thought there was a free feast to be had! As always, I love your photos, Hilary.
I like Lynda's suggestion, about reseeding. We have swarms of crows in our neighborhood. They make their way around throughout the day, usually hit my backyard around 4. It's an amazing sight. So far, non-aggressive.
Whatever it was, the birds are having a great time!
Regardless of why they were there, you captured this well. Personally, I love your 'debugging before the school year' theory!
@ Elizabeth – yes I think they were happy and were keeping socially distanced! Thanks the summer is still around … so I’m happy!
@ Jemima – have there – tells you I don’t socialise much! I did see a gull outside of the school boundaries eating something … but I couldn’t see any ants and usually they’re popping out everywhere.
The grounds looked their usual pristine green … so nothing obvious to this human to tempt the gulls in – but as you say whatever it was – it was a fair deal … today I went another route.
@ David – nope –no rain recently, but it is humid … so the whole thing slightly bamboozled me – but lots of you have made some very sensible suggestions for which I’m grateful – and yes the grounds will benefit from the guano residue!
@ Bazza – I remember you had spent some time here on your Junior Holidays … it wouldn’t have been at the College – but St Andrews probably, or St Bedes … both also in the town – higher up towards Beachy Head.
That’s great you so enjoyed the opportunity to meet up with a broad range of other children – it’s a stunning place to be schooled … and I know you haven’t forgotten.
@ Diane – they’d mown 24 hours earlier … but as you say the grubs and worms could have been tempted to the surface – but 24 hours before …
@ Joanne – yes a new Hitchcock murder – we do have quite a lot set down here … Agatha, Sherlock and others.
No the birds were relaxed … a few flying in and out – while those there were happily paddying around! So I’ll cover my head – but in fact they’ve gone now …
@ Lynda – I hadn’t seen them re-seeding … but who knows … lots of choices, as you’ve all been suggesting – thank you …
@ Jacqui – lots of thoughts … but no other clues down here – yes we have lots of crows too … and they are amazing when they all land in a field – I’m glad yours are non-aggressive …
@ Inger – I agree … whatever was there, there were some very happy birds …
@ Donna – thank you – a ‘silly infill’ post – but I am so glad you’ve noted my take on the idea of debugging before the school year … made me laugh when I thought of it …
Cheers to you all – thanks so much for your ideas and thoughts … it’s such fun to read the comments – take care all of you - Hilary
Gorgeous building.
What a lot of birds
I always like seeing birds in large quantities.
Looks like a Hitchcock movie LOL. Enjoy Hilary Hugs xo
@ Anabel - yes a good redbrick school ... and now it's got some extras - art school, theatre/music centre, cricket pavilion et al ...
@ Jo-Anne - thank you ...
@ Dan - it was a surprise - I've never seen them gather like that before and still can't fathom why - no rain, no sprinklers, the grounds hadn't been scarified, no flying ants ... but it was hot and muggy - still made a good 'interlude' post ...
@ Debby - yes - it could well be a Hitchcock left over ... but nope don't think so! I did so enjoy seeing them ...
Cheers to you all - thanks for visiting ... Hilary
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