I was one of those ignorant types who thought ‘gull’ and ‘seagull’ were interchangeable terms. In fact ‘seagull’ is a fairly meaningless word, though often used to describe herring gulls. But not, definitely not black headed gulls. These birds we so commonly see round here, some fifty miles from the sea, are quite at home here in the fields. They’re sociable: they’re quarrelsome: they’re noisy. And they’re happiest snatching a meal when tractors are out and about, sowing seeds or harvesting and generally making free food available. As you can see. These scenes are from exactly this time last year, from a farmer’s field just up the road.
I thought a ditty, a bit of doggerel was called for, helped along by memories of a Harvest Festival hymn.
They plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land. Black-headed gulls will follow - rapacious thieving band! ‘All good gifts around us come from the farmers’ fields We’ll scoff the lot, not care a jot and decimate your yields.’ We’ve had some snow in winter. The gulls have had it rough. Now seeds and rain and sunshine mean life’s no longer tough. ‘All good gifts around us come from the farmers’ fields. We’ll scoff the lot, not care a jot and decimate your yields.’ Six Word Saturday
I like a good sing-song! Happy Saturday, Margaret 🙂 🙂
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You too Jo. In among …
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I loved your take on the harvest hymn, very clever.
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There won’t even BE a harvest if they carry on like this!
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Rapacious thieving bands indeed!!
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‘Fraid so …
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🙁
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Oh, and meant to say I loved your adaptation of the harvest festival hymn! You are a clever socks…
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Easier than housework. Or more fun, anyway.
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Using different muscles to those required for housework, Margaret!
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Love these words. Enjoy your weekend
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Thank you. You too.
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Thanks for teaching me that. I always wondered since the gulls (!) I usually see have never seen the sea. Although, just “gulls” sounds terribly … naked?
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You’ll get used to it. It sounds OK to me now. And I got through to last year without knowing that our regular gulls don’t miss the sea one little bit.
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We live opposite farm fields and I love to watch the gulls following the tractor.
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It’s quite hypnotic in a noisy sort of way.
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Sociable, quarrelsome, and noisy must be traits common to many gulls. As a group, gulls are very adaptive, so finding them inland is not surprising.
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Indeed. And apparently these will never have seen the sea, not their ancestors either. I wonder why they’re white?
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A day out in the field with them is certainly not so easy to forget. Lovely captures 🙂
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They certainly provide entertainment on a walk.
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I’m also one of the ignorant types — had no idea there were gulls other than seagulls! Those black-headed birds are certainly pretty, despite their thieving nature.
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Good looks get you anywhere 😉
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Brilliant! You, that is, not the rapacious thieving band!
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In their own way, they’re pretty brilliant too. Resourceful, anyway.
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These gulls are rather attractive and I loved your adaptation. 🙂
janet
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Thank you. Yes, they’re handsome fellahs, I think.
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Love the new hymn version. I love black headed gulls, despite their being a bit of a nuisance!
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I’m rather fond of them really. They’re quite feisty
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hahaha I like the poem.. 😉
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Poem? Doggerel more like, but I was having fun.
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How lovely, Margaret! In Sweden we call them “Laughing gulls”!
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Brilliant. How appropriate.
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Haha… I am happily singing along! We have plenty of the herring gulls here, they usually only come on to the fields when it is very stormy out at sea. They prefer being in town, hopefully for a chip or too or perhaps a pasty or sausage roll from some poor unsuspecting tourist. I guess they are having to go out and catch their own fish right now, if they can remember how to!
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They probably can’t. And by the way, Becky, Debbie, Cee et al have been trying to help me sort out my WP Admin problem. No joy yet, and unfortunately your link didn’t get me where I wanted to be. I’ll get there!
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Wow, that is a lot of gulls. Hope they left some seeds for the farmer… I hadn’t heard of other gulls than seagulls either, but that isn’t surprising, since I don’t really know much about birds.
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You’ll have to go on trip to the Farne Islands sometime. You’ll see more different types of gull than you’ll be able to keep track of.
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Thank you for setting me straight on “gull” & “seagull”. I, too, thought they were interchangeable. And interestingly, but narrowly, the “gull” I know is the “seagull”.
Love your description of them: sociable, quarrelsome, noisy. They certainly must make their presence known!
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They certainly do! It’s funny that we’ve all thought gull and seagull were the same. Now we know better!
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I wonder if most folks would think like us too – the names are rather deceptive.
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oh you are clever with words – made me giggle. So glad you have learnt though not to use the word seagull!!
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I know Becky. I’m a slow learner. And what about you and clock change? My body adjusted immediately and I was up with the lark as ever!
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It was one of my mornings when I was up an hour earlier than usual – so still no lie in for me!!!
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We’re beyond help, aren’t we?
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Completely, at least though we are in great company with each other xxx
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PS definitely not a slow learner, for some reason we are all taught to call them seagulls.
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BTW did you get anywhere with the WP nightmare? I still have it as an option on my menu – am I the only one?!
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TBH I haven’t tried again yet. I need to be in the mood with WP or I start chucking computers out of the window!
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Likewise!
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Beautiful captures of the opening image. What a beautiful scene!
“…come from the farmers’ fields.” I love it. Thank you for the post, Margaret!
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Thanks Amy. We have to find our fun where we can these days, don’t we?
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I meant beautiful “capture” of the first image.
I agree with you. 😊
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beautiful capture Margaret especially the gulls hovering over the tractor! love this line: “All good gifts around us come from the farmers’ fields” 🙂
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Thanks. The gulls are very omni-present just now.
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Always wonder how they manage white on brown, but perhaps they don’t make for a tasty meal, but can see they themselves have adapted well to decimate others’ yields. A snappy text and image post, thank you.
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🙂
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