From a distance I saw what was certainly a gull, but it had an extra long bill. Huh? Not gull-like at all. What in the world is that? Since I am used to coming across new critters on the beach, I was sorting through my brain but got stumped on this one.
I approached the long-billed gull and realized this bird was struggling with something... something in his mouth. Ha! I finally realized what it was. This greedy gull was trying, without success at first, to swallow a whole fish. The fish was so long and so big that the gull couldn't get all of it in his mouth and down his throat. He spit it out and grabbed it up again several times. I watched from a distance not wanting to scare him away from his hard-won catch but fascinated to see what the outcome would be.
Never one to be deterred this gull finally managed, after several somewhat gruesome attempts, to swallow the thing whole and keep it down. Yuck! Though I must say it was fascinating and another reminder of the incredible things I get to witness if I but keep my eyes and mind open.
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