Opinion: Have we entered the year of the seagull?

Seagulls are becoming city slickers while there is tucker about.

It is, within the Chinese culture and the Zodiac of signs, the year of the rat.

But I have detected a stronger element in the unofficial Zodiac of the suburbs within the cities.

Within the cities by the sea.

For I am certain, even at this early stage of 2020 (also the year of good vision) that we have entered the year of the seagull.

They seem to be more prevalent than ever before, and this is the first year I have actually become aware of them over the more inland skies.

Since 2019 was put to bed I have started hearing seagulls... in the early morning and in the evening.

And I have seen them, circling in groups — shrieking and barking at each other.

What they are saying is anybody's guess.

Roger Moroney is an award-winning journalist with Hawke's Bay Today and observer of the slightly off-centre.

I have also come across the sight of seagulls, especially those smaller grey and white ones with the red beaks, perched upon fences far from the sea, and wandering across peoples' lawns, to the slight alarm of the sparrows and starlings.

I have also had a couple of folks tell me that after putting a few old bits of bread down for the "land" birds to nibble on they have been slightly astounded to hear loud squawking, and have looked out to see a couple of those big black and white gulls tottering around their front lawn.

They had never encountered that before, and they live several kilometres inland from the foreshore where the gulls traditionally wander.

They have come to town, it seems.

Although they are not strangers to the central city streets within circling distance of the seashore.

The crews who have to gather and sweep up the littered contents of torn rubbish bags left out overnight for collection would attest to that.

Dad used to simply call seagulls "scavengers".

And I guess to a point they are.

For this latest surge in sightings over suburbs must surely be due to the gulls seeking food.

What else would draw them inland in circling packs?

As kids, living within sight and earshot of the waves pushing shingle about, one of our nightly duties (like dozens of other families along the parade) was to take "the scraps" from tea over to the beach.

To feed the birds.

And they knew the timetable well.

For between 6 and 7 you would see them dropping their undercarriages and landing right where they knew the plate would be scraped.

And boy, when you flicked it in their direction they went ballistic, and the unwanted scraps would be consumed within a minute.

It was probably not the most ideal thing to do as it may have steered the gully-wullys away from seeking more traditional fare.

But hey, they were hungry so give 'em the leftovers.

They're still at it today, as anyone having a picnic on the beach will agree.

They sit and they watch... and angrily squawk at their fellows also trying to grab a stray bite.

Seagulls have an appetite, as well as a great biological compass system... for they can detect a landfill site from far, far away.

As noted earlier in this column, I have been wondering about this strange increase of seagull circling and barking over the inland spread, and maybe food is the issue?

As I wrote that line I just heard a couple barking away from a rooftop across the road... never seen them there before.

Which leads me to wonder if their usual sea fare has reduced, and given that I don't think seagulls have any natural predators their numbers have probably grown, and will continue to, as long as they can find tucker to eat of course.

And the red-billed gulls and the black-billed gulls are protected species... although the big old black-backed gull is not.

But no one hunts them because you can get an oven-ready chook from the supermarket for $8.99.

We have a black-back resting in the garden now.

Coming home from Hastings last weekend my wife spotted one injured on the side of the road, so returned to assist it.

Unfortunately as she approached it was then struck by another car as it staggered into its path and that was that.

So she brought it home and we gave him a spot in the garden down the back.

Could that explain why some were circling about nearby this morning?

Naa, they've been circling there since January 1... the start of the year of the seagull.