Seagull Dominion

The sun is up, the tide is out... The old coastline is stunning, and empty. Scarily empty. And quiet. Why is it quiet? I know they are there, watching. Waiting.

The sun is up, the tide is out, the beach is uncovered again for visitors. The old coastline is stunning, and empty. Scarily empty. And quiet. Why is it quiet? I know they are there, watching. Waiting. It doesn’t matter where I go, it’s always the same.

I watch the scene from the car. I’ll just wait five more minutes, just to make sure. The car clock counts another 4 minutes, and my impatience gets the better of me. I get out of the car, gather my lunch bag and picnic rug, and head down the narrow path to the beach. It’s a proper low tide today, even the fossil path is showing. And still no seagulls. Why are there no seagulls. You usually see them in the sea, just bobbing up and down, but today, nothing.

Another person has ventured out with their dog. The dog doesn’t know what to do with himself. He can freely run back and forth, go into the water, out of the water, no hinderance from the phantom menace.

I spread my rug out and sit down. Still nothing. I’ve learnt they don’t like coffee, or at least not my coffee, so that is what I will start with. Maybe today will be ok. I get out the thermos, unscrew the cup from the top , open the spout and pour a cup. I take a sip, and take it all in. That moment of basking in the morning sun, and the taste of sweet, strong coffee. Perfection.

I look around, nothing else. I decide to chance it, and unzip the main compartment of my bag for my breakfast bap. At the sound of the zip, the advance party arrives. These seagulls have learnt stealth. Just as territorial, but blink and you’ll miss them moving in for the kill. I will stand my ground today, and I reach in. It comes closer in front of me, now only a couple of metres away. I pause, it is staring at me. I can feel more eyes glaring at me on my left. I turn just my eyes to look, another one has appeared. My eyes face forwards again. The one at the front is now at the edge of my picnic rug, and a pair of them now on my right. The inevitable stand-off has started. Do I concede, or risk losing everything again?

They are working as a pack now, channelling the spirits of the creatures that once roamed this part of the Jurassic coast. The one on my left has been joined by reinforcements. I don’t need to look to know there is another one behind me.

I fold. I’m hungry, I want my bap. I can eat back in the car. I begrudgingly take my hand out the bag. The seagull cocks its head at me, assessing situation. It knows me, we are old adversaries. I zip the bag back up. It squarks. The seagulls around me vanish. The one at the front totters off. Today I’m permitted to have my coffee. It doesn’t taste as sweet anymore though.

At the top of the cliff, their leader lets out an almighty victory squark which echoes around the cliffs. The king of the seagulls has spoken.

It is their beach now.