It was so windy, the seagulls had to walk sideways across the grass to where we sat, enjoying our fish ‘n chips. One gull was particularly aggressive to the others, keeping them a good few metres away from us. The exception was a young gull still with brown on its feathers, dark eyes, bill and legs. It squawked plaintively and persistently at us for food, but waited in vain as we don’t feed unhealthy human food to wild animals. Though it was doing such a great job at triggering my mothering instincts I almost gave in a few times – there’s something about a crying baby, no matter what the species!
Bored and no doubt hungry, the little one wandered over to the aggressive bird, who was still busily chasing off other gulls out of her no-go zone around us. She quickly escorted it back over to right in front of us. This happened several times, until it was clear to all concerned that it was her chick and we were meant to be feeding it for her. All that energy and time could have gone into teaching her little one to fish, diving from the air into a school of fish, to scavenge along the beach to…hang on, actually, wasn’t that what she was doing? Teaching it to scavenge? And where was the easiest and fastest place to scavenge? Humans eating outside. Humans who generally love sharing their meals with birds, (sadly without a thought for the impact on the birds’ health, including injuries from habitat battles that occur in overcrowded areas as more birds flock there for easy pickings).
She certainly wasn’t lazy, not with the committed persistence and energy she put into ensuring only her chick (and herself) had best access to the available resources. Wouldn’t live fish fresh from the ocean, or even freshly washed up on the beach, be healthier for her chick, and herself? Undoubtedly. I wonder at the rapidly reducing fish stocks in the ocean, and whether she’s actually setting her chick up for survival in the future. I wonder if she was even taught to fish/feed ‘naturally’ by her own mother?
I had a flashback to moving into a house where it quickly become obvious the previous occupant had fed the birds – a magpie introduced her chick to me, within easy reach, and the kookaburras initially waited politely, but stubbornly (not even a poke in the chest would make them move off the rail), then were aggressively efficient at helping themselves during meals on the deck. Not so cute, and no longer relaxing to eat outside.
I guess it’s happening all over the world, not a matter of right or wrong, simply mothers & fathers of all species, doing their very best to provide for their children, passing on their skills and knowledge of survival the best they can. Whether the children grow up resenting their parents for teaching them the ‘wrong’ things, for ruining their health, who knows? I guess there are others in the flock the young birds can learn from, modelling different behaviours, trying new skills, learning from their own partners, and choosing different ways to bring their little chicks up. If it occurs to them.
If you have ‘chick’ issues, past, present or potentially future, know there are solutions. Contact me for a chat about how
Escorting a ‘chick’ to safety, Nakuru
I can help you make those changes you’d like to see, or join us for the Inner Connection programme for regular head trash clearing, plugging into new perspectives, stress relief, support and accountability to your dreams.
P.S. Some times parents just can’t cope, and chicks are abandoned. I love being part of a flock that picks up abandoned chicks, and also helps others whose parents haven’t as many survival skills as needed to pass on. I’m going back to Gabriel’s School and Orphanage again next year to do my bit in role modelling different ways of behaving, thinking and growing. (Oh, and giving lots of love to cuddle starved kids.) If you’re up for an adventure that opens your eyes and your heart, join me! For more information check out www.nakuruhope.org and/or contact me direct.
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