Flying Lessons

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of these minigulls! They’re becoming a terrible distraction: my worktable faces the window, which overlooks the roof, which is full of tiny birds. I catch myself looking up all day, at odd moments, hoping to catch them up to something interesting. They seldom disappoint. They’ve become much more adventurous in their explorations: they’ve pecked over nearly every inch of their side of the roof, over the last couple of days. (There’s a raised divider about two-thirds of the way along the roof, keeping the gulls from wandering any farther in my direction…at least, for now. I imagine they’ll be able to leap and flutter over that, long before they’re capable of more sustained flights.)

Do it like THIS!

Do it like THIS!

Gull, gull, gull, HERON, gull….

The minigulls are beginning to develop distinct personalities, insofar as a gull can be said to have a personality.  The larger one is bold, and very eager to fly.  It spends its days running about, jumping up and down, and waggling its wingstubs all over the place.  The smaller one spends most of its time snuggling up to the railing, and trying to crawl under its mother.  It'll probably end up thirty years old and living in...ehh, well, gulls' parents haven't got basements, so I guess the equivalent would be the next roof over.

The minigulls are beginning to develop distinct personalities, insofar as a gull can be said to have a personality. The larger one is bold, and very eager to fly. It spends its days running about, jumping up and down, and waggling its wingstubs all over the place. The smaller one spends most of its time snuggling up to the railing, and trying to crawl under its mother. It’ll probably end up thirty years old and living in…ehh, well, gulls’ parents haven’t got basements, so I guess the equivalent would be the next roof over.

I don't know whether to laugh or lament, watching this.  Over and over, the more adventurous of the minigulls flaps its wings, and jumps up and down.  Results are, ehh, rather less than spectacular.

I don’t know whether to laugh or lament, watching this. Over and over, the more adventurous of the minigulls flaps its wings, and jumps up and down. Results are, ehh, rather less than spectacular.

I was rather chuffed with myself, upon spotting this great blue heron.  It was, after all, quite well-hidden, and very far away.  One day, I'm going to see one of these at close quarters.

I was rather chuffed with myself, upon spotting this great blue heron. It was, after all, quite well-hidden, and very far away. One day, I’m going to see one of these at close quarters.

The little fellow in the middle is complaining because he can't fly.  Just kidding.  But he was certainly squawking about something!

The little fellow in the middle is complaining because he can’t fly. Just kidding. But he was certainly squawking about something!