THE PURPOSE OF THE BLOG is to raise awareness.
All life is interconnected and conscious.* (For a greater understanding of consciousness visit http://www.theacademyofspiritualsciences.net/ )
Everything we do and say has an effect on the world around us. As humans we have the particular responsibility of stewardship for the Planet - to take care of the many forms of life the Planet sustains.(More understanding of this can be found by visiting http://www.treesofgoodness.net/ and clicking on the Buttons 'Animals' and 'Environment').
THIS BLOG tells the on-going story of two Sea Gull chicks and their development as it's unfolding. I have no idea how the story will end. Whatever the ending, however, I have absolutely no doubt that the Two have come to teach the many.
THE LOCATION.
Staithes, North Yorshire.
To the rear of one of the old fisherman's cottages is a patio garden roughly 25 feet in length, 4 feet wide at its narrowest point, approximately 6 feet across at its widest, with high walls to three sides. Near by, one Sea Gull roof top nest.
Sea Gulls is a general term used for ease; the majority of the Gull colony here are Herring Gulls. Also for ease the two chicks are referred to as 'Big un' and 'Little un'.
1.
Sea Gulls mate for life and return to the same nesting ground each year.
They are some of the most attentive and dedicated parents with both mother and father co-parenting by taking turns to sit on the nest and feed their brood once the chicks hatch. However, the impact of Humans and birds living closely together has taken its toll on the environment with serious cliff erosion. Consequently the birds are nesting in inappropriate and often precarious places - with tragic results.
2.
The streets of Staithes are currently inundated with Sea Gull chicks that have fallen from roof top nests too small to hold a growing brood.
Some chicks die instantly from the fall, while distressed parents continue trying to feed them. Others, lost and wandering around are attacked by dogs and some are run over. Most are still fed on the ground by dedicated parents who become aggressive towards people, dive bombing and attacking them in efforts to protect their young. Cut heads are not uncommon! Using a stretched local voluntary rescue service is a last resort as it separates families. Various commical sights can be seen at this time as people walk round waving and carrying saplings in their hands, or with umbrellas up on sunny days - all DIY devises designed to protect their heads from razor sharp talons. Of course unsuspecting visitors are oblivious as to the reasons and one wonders what they must make of the 'odd' folk who live here!
Despite the attacks, people go to great lengths (and heights) to return chicks to their nests.
Sometimes the chicks have other ideas!
Enter Big un and Little un.
3.
Summer Solstice 2011.
Big un.
A beautiful sunny day (to begin with). I opened the back door to let the sunshine in and the cat out. She stopped dead in her tracks; when I checked to see why - there was a tiny Sea Gull chick on the ground at the narrow end of the patio. I hastily scooped the cat up and closed the door. Just as animals and birds can sense fear they can also sense peace so it's important to remain calm in any situations where they may be stressed or frightened. Fetching some step ladders and donning gardening gloves I went back outside. By standing on the top step of the ladders I could just reach above the guttering to the sloping roof that the chick had fallen from. The plan was to pick up the chick and return it to the roof; the mother's calls should be incentive enough for it to climb back up the tiles to the nest.
As I slowly walked towards the chick, it slowly backed away! Using soft reassuring sounds I picked it up and climbing up the steps, managed to deposit it safely on the roof tiles. Apart from some startled squawks from the mother (she was dozing next to the nest) all was well. Mission accomplished. Cup of coffee!
4.
Little un.
23rd June 2011.
The following morning there was a different chick on the patio. If I thought yesterday's chick was small, this one was even smaller ... and noisier. Following the same procedure as the day before, the chick was returned to the roof. This time, however, it was too small to climb up the steep incline of the roof tiles. So taking a broom I placed it behind the chick and gently pushed it up towards the nest, with the chick loudly protesting at every undignified inch of the way.
Over the following two days, the chicks took it in turns to fall off the roof, amazingly without breaking necks, backs or stubby beginnings of wings.
Then I hit upon a foolproof plan!
Taking a long plank of wood I wedged it vertically into the gutter to form a barrier; for good measure several large pieces of rock were jammed behind it to firmly secure the plank in place.
The next morning both chicks were on the patio! ( And the wooden barrier was brazenly still securely in place). Humm... Something going on here.
5.
The chicks re-locate and approve of the crude 'man made' nest.
26th June.2011.
After sitting reflectively on the reasons as to why this may be happening; the distinctly strong impression came that the two chicks had come to teach the many. The parents were maintaining contact with the chicks who were showing no signs of distress. The parents were (and still are) flying from roof to roof, two to three times daily and making softer squawking calls to the chicks who respond with 'piping' calls.
All life is sacred so respect is the by- word.
At the very least the chicks would require their basic needs to be met; water, food and a warm bed.
Food was easy; living in a fishing port, we have a fish factory near by and the lads were only too glad to give the off cuts of fish away. A kind neighbour donated some clean straw and a plastic take- away container was filled with water.
Watching Big un and Little un I noticed they liked to go under the large Castor Oil plant near the wall at the end of the patio. So making a rudimentary nest shape, I placed the staw under the plant; they chose a good spot, this would provide shade, some shelter from rain and a sense of cover and protection.
This plant was given to me some years ago by my friend Lynne to look after. She rescued it because it was very sickly looking. It had been kept on top of a microwave and was worse the wear from the radiation we now know is emitted from microwaves.
It's rather warming to see this plant now 'taking care' of the chicks as they snuggle down each night to sleep under its large glossy leaves.
6.
Trust.
How many of us taken suddenly away from our safe family life and thrust into an alien environment separated from parents with no means of escape and dependent upon a giant stranger for food and water, would be calm and trusting?
Yet these two chicks and their parents are displaying a remarkable level of trust which is quite inspirational.
If we raise our consciousness and come from the understanding that all life has consciousness, then we will see remarkable things like this. They trust me because they know they can.
The other creature involved in this situation, mentioned only once before is my cat. Prior to the arrival of the chicks, she had a daily routine of going onto the back patio several times through out the day and often catnapped there. Since their arrival she has not asked once to go out, despite hearing their calls through the door. She is certainly not afraid of Gulls, indeed she is used to regular contact with them. Does she understand that for now she can't go there? Has she even agreed to this on some level? Food for thought.
Food.
In attempting to replicate the same conditions for the chicks as in the wild, I don't feed them by hand i.e. throwing food to them piece by piece. The food is spread into a rough sausage shape as it would be after the chicks have gently pecked at the red spot at the end of the adult Gull's beak to assist re-gurgetation (I draw the line at this!)
One or both parents regularly watch me feed the chicks from the roof and I withdraw after feeding giving time for the parents to continue bonding with the chicks and to encourage them to fly when they are able to.
Sea Gull chicks are born with Fawn and Brown colours that naturally blend into the environment creating the illusion of invisibility which is remarkably effective. The feathers then begin to take on a more greyish tinge. Chicks then gradually gain the familiar White and Grey colours of the adults over several years.
Like dogs if they are too hot, they open their mouths, put their tongues out and pant to cool down!
Introducing the parents who are still very much engaged and interacting ... well, most of the time.
Dad. (Asleep on "sentry" duty).
Mum. (Not so mum!)
The Journal of the chicks' development.
June 2011.
By the end of June, Big un is eating almost anything, while Little un still requires smaller pieces of boneless fish and is very partial to Smoked Mackeral with Lemon and Parsley!
I noticed that after eating they go up to their drinking water, dip their beaks in and splash them about from side to side.
Filling an old grill pan with water I placed it near the Castor Oil plant; the chicks retreated into their nest and watched from under cover. I left them but watched from the back door. Moments later they emerged and made a Bee-line for the tray and stepped into it, one at each end and began tapping their feet up and down on the spot splashing about animatedly.
It seems everyone enjoys a paddle at the sea-side!
July 2011.
The Heavens open with continuous downpours.
Without the warmth and protection of their parents, will both chicks survive?
The journal of the chicks' development.
Part 2. Sea Gull yoga and aerobics.
I open the door to give the chicks breakfast after their first day and night of continuous rain to find them soaked through and trembling, but still hungry.
They are ravenous and shake themselves a lot to keep dispersing as much rain as possible from their downy feathers. Their nest is also saturated and the leaves of the plant they shelter under are bowed down with the weight of water that is running off them. A trip to town is obviously necessary to buy fresh straw.
Having dry bedding will help maintain their body temperatures. On returning, the saturated nest is discarded and a new one made from fresh dry straw. As soon as it is down both chicks immediately nestle into it trying to keep warm and dry. There's nothing more can be done.
The rain continues and so does the changing of straw.
After a few days, there's a brief respite from the downpours for a day or two. Whether the chicks had time to think during the long wet days and nights who knows, but Little un is decidedly bolder now and is coming forward first for food and has developed a neat little shoulder tackle to nudge Big un out of the way!
The parents continue to watch and supervise from above and seem to be satisfied with my human efforts at co-parenting.
4th July 2011.
The chicks now know the sound of the back door and when it's opened, two little heads are poking round the plant pots ready and waiting for waitress service.
After eating and washing their beaks (done meticulously after each meal) they now stand quietly looking up at the sky. Their eyes don't appear to be able to focus on movements that high up yet, but they cock their heads from side to side listening attentively to other Sea Gulls flying over head and pipe in response when they hear one call as it flies over. They may be 'grounded' at present but their consciousness is with flight.
Whether because of days of inactivety due to the rain or because it's a natural part of their development, the chicks suddenly become very active exercising. Wings that were stubby are now as long as their bodies. They balance on one leg ( no wobbles) and stretch their other leg and wing out at the same time. Then they swap legs and repeat the exercise.
They do this several times to lumber up ready for the aerobics session.
Standing with both feet flat on the ground they rock back on their heels and bring both their wings over head and stretch ... and stretch ...and then flap.
Don't try this at home.
The journal of the chicks' development.
Part 3. A Surprise.
11th July 2011.
In the evenings after being fed, the chicks spend more time gazing upwards and their eyes are now able to follow skyward movements. They continue to stretch wings and legs regularly and through their close proximity, we are provided with the privilege of observing the flexibility of their webbed feet when they flex ankles and when they sit down.
13th July 2011.
One of the few dry evenings in July provided the opportunity to sit quietly and observe the chicks. They were making their usual soft 'piping' calls. They moved forward and turned their gaze towards the roof and the nest they had come from. After watching them for a few moments I realised there was a third 'piping' call. A third chick was in the nest and had remained there!
After several more evenings of obsevation, it was apparent that when the parents went off to hunt for food leaving the third chick alone in the nest, it began to call to its two siblings below, who responded by standing below the nest in a position where they would be visible from above and gazing up at the chick responded to its calls reassuringly.
Despite the different locations of chicks and parents, this is clearly an integrated family and they are demonstrating this by their continuous contact with each other, vocally, visually and with sensory awareness.
Part 4. Rapid Development.
From now on daily visible developments in the chicks can be seen.
14th July.
Big un begins to grow tail feathers with a distinctive fan shape to them. Little un's by comparison are beginning to show but are still covered in downy feathers.
Big un's voice is also changing and developing into occasional discernable Sea Gull squawks.
17th July.
The spots around the eyes of both chicks have melded together now and legs have really thickened out.
And the browny /beige colours of the chicks' feathers are taking on a more grey hue, while Big un has got the beginnings of a first white feather in the centre of the chest!
20th July.
Preening is playing an increasingly important part of their daily lives and as they pull their beaks through the feathers, the underside of their rapidly growing wings show beautiful cream and tawny coloured feathers.
Downy feathers are giving way to the types of feathers we all know and the chicks have a mixture of both, which sometimes gives the illusion of them looking cross and knitting bushy eye brows.
The chicks are unconcerned about their changing appearance and 'how they look', they are just stages of development to them. They neither resist change or are concerned with it; they just progress naturally.
It is a simple demonstration of surrender and trust that we humans with our fixation about 'image' could learn a lot from.
The journal of the chick's development.
Part 5. Consciousness is interconnected and knows no barriers.
August.
July gives way to August and the chicks are growing fast. They are remarkably compatible, especially given the confines of the space they are living in. Big un in particular has begun regularly jumping up and down with much flapping of wings in an effort to fly. Little un watches and patiently waits for a turn; there isn't the room for both of them to practice at the same time.
There is no ego involved; Big un has developed more quickly and so is given precedence - a concept most human beings struggle with at some point!
Animals and birds can teach us much if we're willing to look in the mirror to see what they are reflecting to us.
One particularly busy morning just before I was about to go out, there was a tremendous commotion outside. On listening more closely, it was obvious that one of the Sea Gull parents was distressed and was flying quickly backwards and forwards from roof to roof above the chicks and loudly squawking repeatedly. Something was wrong.
If we are calm and 'aligned' animals and birds will feel calm and comforted. Using the Emerald Alignment* to align myself I went outside to investigate.
*The Academy of Spiritual Sciences:The Emerald Alignment.
The parent stopped flying back and forth and threw its head back and issed the cry I've come to recognise is given in acknowledgement of feeding. Then it dawned on me; it was almost 2 hours after the time the chicks usually got fed! On seeing them being fed it gave a deep 'Ba ba ba ba' cry and flew onto the nest on the roof and settled down. It obviously knew I was late feeding its chicks that morning - how?
If the parent hadn't alerted me, I would have gone out and they would have missed their meal.
Did it know that too?
Perhaps before we dismiss such a notion, we should read the growing band of scientific evidence that demonstrates the ability of plants to adapt to human wishes, to communicate with humans and shows their response to music (amongst many other things). If plants can do it ...
Part 6. A sudden departure.
Big un.
Big un is stretching wings more now and both are continuing with the 'yoga' and 'aerobics'. There is a sense that if all goes well an attempt to fly will be made soon. I look at the high walls and overhead wires and pipes and pray that all will be well. Nothing less than a vertical lift off like the jump jet Harrier will be required.
Little un.
Looking at the gloriously grown wings of the chicks we can see the different layers of feathers perfectly designed to negotiate the wind currents in flight. It's not too hard to imagine that they gave inspiration to the designers of aircraft wings with their moving parts which are designed to do just the same thing.
Sunday 7th August.
The gentle 'piping' sounds we've become accustomed to hearing over the past two months drift as usual through the back door as the chicks' breakfast is prepared. I open the door to feed them.
Big un has gone!
Part 7. Precious moments.
A check around the patio garden and small yard area down below at the adjacent cottage,established Big un had flown 'the nest'.
This was confirmed by an elderly neighbour who said he'd seen only one chick at 6.30 that morning. So sometime between supper the night before and breakfast, Big 'un had caught an early morning flight.
Little 'un appeared to be completely unfazed by the departure and seemed to relish the opportunity for 'second breakfast' with was devoured with gusto. If Big 'un had gone it wouldn't be long before Little 'un would go too. Making a drink and armed with trustee camera I went to spend precious time with the last of the chicks that had, over the summer, come to play such an important part in every day life.
This blog began with the purpose of raising awareness and with the statement that
All life is interconnected and conscious; it ends with a profoundly moving experience of an interconnected consciousness with another life stream - in this case, a 'wild' bird.
This last entry is a crude attempt to describe with words an experience that is beyond words.
As I sat quietly observing the chick, something began to happen. It walked towards me and stopped approximately two feet from my face and looked intently into my eyes. The every day sounds around us began to fade away and a stillness descended. A sense of peace began to grow like being held in a bubble of silence and time seemed to be suspended. There was a definite sense of completion taking place and a sense that some how this chick had agreed to stay for this experience and to allow these last photographs. An understanding beyond words was taking place. As the chick, two feet from my face, remained there I could see an image of my face being reflected back in the eyes looking so intently into mine. There was an experience of somehow sensing its desire to fly but also there was an aura of very old wisdom emanating from it. Images of its arrival and stages of growth came and faded away along with images of it flying with flocks of Gulls; an awareness of gratitude was experienced. A tangible sense of stillness and peace continued as we remained looking at each other. Gradually, an awareness of time became evident with a sense of an opportunity to capture on film its stages of flight.Then the noises of the everday world began to be apparent again .We were too close together for the camera to focus so I slowly moved back; it was then that I could see from the clock inside that what we had been experiencing had lasted over an hour.
The chick began to slowly walk around again and to preen itself. After a short time it began to jump up and down and flap its wings in preparation for flight. It seemed some how intrusive to stay once the photographs had been taken; so with one last look, I went inside and closed the door.
That night when I went to bed I could hear several pairs of Sea Gull feet gently padding about on the roof of the dormer bedroom window near the nest where the chicks had been born.
Two chicks that had arrived no bigger than the length of a hand, were now fully grown and part of a family reunited again.
Listening to them above, sleep carried me away to their gentle sounds and to the strains of a distant song ...
... Sky Bird
Make your sail
And every heart will know of the tale
And head for the farthest shore!
Look at the way I glide
Caught on the wind's lazy tide.
Sweetly how it sings.
Rally each heart at the sight
Of your Silver wings.
Sky Bird, Sky Bird.
Night Bird
Find your way
For none may know it just as you may.
Seek out your harbour of Light.
Let your song be heard.
Rally each heart to the sign of your Silver wings!
Sky Bird.
Sky Bird .... *
A Delightful Surprise.
The next day I was able to take the following two photographs of Big Un back on the roof.
And this one of Little Un.
I never saw them again after that day, but their spirits fill the skies as they soar high above. And sometimes when I think of them now and again and wonder where in the world they are ... my spirit soars too.
*Song by Neil Diamond from the music to the film Jonathan Livingston Sea Gull.
