| | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | | 29 | 30 |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
| |
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
| |
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
| |
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
| |
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,130
Threads: 82,289
Posts: 852,807
Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, TerryR52 | |  | 
14-02-2007, 09:17 AM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,607
| | | Sporty bird?
Yesterday I was walking along the Serpentine in London + was admiring a pair of adult Herring Gulls in breeding plumage, when I noticed 2 1st-year birds a couple of metres from them (I suspect the first pair were the parents). What amazed me was 1 of the youngsters was holding a tennis ball in its beak- a bizarre sight!
After a short while it dropped the ball back in the water + tried pulling at the green surface material, without too much success. It did briefly pick the ball up again. Not a good choice for a meal!
A couple of years back I remember seeing an adult Herring Gull in nearby St. James Park pick up + swallow a whole dead Starling head-first. It was a struggle, but successful, though looking not too comfortable! |
14-02-2007, 11:57 AM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants.
Posts: 11,627
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
Sitting on the beach in Cornwall  , a Gull picked up a large fish from the rocks that another gull had dropped, turned it and swallowed it head first. The fish was almost as big as the Gull.  Its amazing what they can swallow. |
14-02-2007, 02:31 PM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 9,725
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
Quote:
Originally Posted by aeshna5  Yesterday I was walking along the Serpentine in London + was admiring a pair of adult Herring Gulls in breeding plumage, when I noticed 2 1st-year birds a couple of metres from them (I suspect the first pair were the parents). What amazed me was 1 of the youngsters was holding a tennis ball in its beak- a bizarre sight!
After a short while it dropped the ball back in the water + tried pulling at the green surface material, without too much success. It did briefly pick the ball up again. Not a good choice for a meal!
A couple of years back I remember seeing an adult Herring Gull in nearby St. James Park pick up + swallow a whole dead Starling head-first. It was a struggle, but successful, though looking not too comfortable! | Yeah-they're being trained up for Wimbledon, didn't you know?  They swoop down when the umpire gives the nod. 
__________________
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
14-02-2007, 02:51 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Gloucestershire
Posts: 350
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh Sitting on the beach in Cornwall , a Gull picked up a large fish from the rocks that another gull had dropped, turned it and swallowed it head first. The fish was almost as big as the Gull. Its amazing what they can swallow. | They must be the Avian equivalent of Labradors; Dustbins on legs!
__________________
Growing older is compulsory.
But growing up is optional! |
14-02-2007, 05:24 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,607
| |  Re: Sporty bird?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wild-Woman Yeah-they're being trained up for Wimbledon, didn't you know? They swoop down when the umpire gives the nod. | Perhaps they're the secret weapon to bombard Cliff Richard if he starts singing again when rain stops play! |
14-02-2007, 05:34 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,530
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
I remember seeing a Herringull on Autumn Watch chase a Peregrine off a duck it had just caught and proceed to swallow it down bill first!!
If that sucker comes near my fish and chips I'm giving them up without a fight!
__________________
Eagles may soar, but Stoats don't get sucked into jet engines. |
14-02-2007, 07:05 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pork Pie Town, Leicestershire
Posts: 631
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
.....and when I saw the title of this thread I was thinking along the lines of Mel C! (Sporty Spice!)
__________________ My glass is flippin' empty not half full! Oscar Wildlife |
14-02-2007, 07:33 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,607
| |  Re: Sporty bird?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oscar2006 .....and when I saw the title of this thread I was thinking along the lines of Mel C! (Sporty Spice!) | Wouldn't that be faded popstar! |
14-02-2007, 07:36 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,530
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
Quote:
Originally Posted by aeshna5 Wouldn't that be faded popstar! | Ouch! Mel C's a proper songwriter, not like the other useless....oh, no I can't use that word in a polite forum like this one, can I? 
__________________
Eagles may soar, but Stoats don't get sucked into jet engines. |
14-02-2007, 07:46 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants.
Posts: 11,627
| | | Re: Sporty bird?
| | |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | |
| | | 21 members and 353 guests | | alanc15, Andrew C, Billabong Karen, britnik, chattycaff, davedotcom, Dorts, DRB, fairplay, GTH, Kogar, lulu1957, Malthusius, MetalMoth, mollisia, Raindrop, Rye, TerryR52, welsh.lensman, Xav, Za | » New Wildlife Posts |  Snake ID Today 12:57 PM 0 Replies, 1 Views | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | » New Environment Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Activity Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Community Posts | | | | | | | | | |
hang on I think I have distant memories. OOhhh Nightmares 
