This is Charlie, the Sea Gull. He has been a fixture (figuratively) at my late mother's house for almost 30 years. He's easily identifiable by a "scar" on his neck. First, my step dad was trained to feed him hot dogs by hand. After my step dad passed, Charlie went away for a couple of weeks, but then returned. After a breaking-in period, my mom & Charlie came to an agreement where she was allowed to hand feed him. After a couple of years, my wife and I became apprentices who Charlie would SOMETIMES allow to be fed by. During this time he seemed to have a girlfriend he brought along who was named Charlene. After my mom died, Charlie again went away for a couple of weeks before returning. This time he seemed to have become a vegetarian, rejecting hot dogs in favor of bread. This lasted for about 6 months. He's back on hot dogs, but does not wish to be fed by hand. I think he doesn't want to get attached.
Are you pulling our collective chain? Do seagulls live that long? If so, I think you are the first person I've ever known with his own seagull.
ReplyDeleteWell, the way to bet is always in favor of my pullng chains, collective or individual. I also lean strongly towards the pushing of buttons and the deflation of enlarged egos. But to answer your query, No. And I don't think of us having him so much as him having us. Seagulls around here seem pretty smart. (I should mention this is in the area The Birds was filmed in) We saw one in a restaurant parking lot dragging his wing every time a car drove in as though he was hurt. If someone threw some food in his direction, he was suddenly like our Governator, with full use of both wings.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to answer the question, how long do seagulls live? After Stepdad died, we realized how long Charlie had been around and looked into life spans. I seem to recall it was 25-30 years, so Charlie is a bit aged, which might account for trying to lower his cholesterol by eschewing hot dogs.
ReplyDeleteIts good to hear Charlie is back.
ReplyDeleteWow, who'da thunk I'd turn on my computer and learn about the life span of seagulls today....
ReplyDeleteThat's cool, though. I imagine that in the next 5-10 years Charlie will receive a tribute even greater than the remote's....
I think this means you can get out of jail free in Utah. Since you are tending and providing care for the state bird.
ReplyDeleteI believe it only works if you have MULTIPLE seagulls that you are tending and providing for.
ReplyDelete