KEY POINTS:
For sale: Sturdy ex-state house, two double bedrooms, nice back lawn, resident seagull included.
Whoever buys Zoe Lowis' house will need a supply of dog roll as the Northcote property is second home to Johnny, a tame seagull who has spent the past 15 years scrounging a feed of dog roll, meat and scraps from his adopted "mum".
Since 82-year-old Zoe died in September, the seagull has been visiting regularly, looking for his daily feed.
North Shore real estate agent Dutch van Geuns thought he was seeing things when the seagull popped through the deck ranchsliders during an open home and carefully wiped its feet on the mat.
The seagull walked round the lounge and into the kitchen, looking for Zoe, and then headed back outside to wait on the barbecue table.
"It was a bit of a dag. I must admit I found a piece of fish in the freezer, and I put it in the microwave and gave it a feed."
Since then the seagull has been a regular visitor during the open homes.
"I've become attached to him. You start thinking 'where is he?"'
Zoe's son Jim Malone remembers Johnny, named after Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Richard's Bach's book about a seagull learning about life), feeding out of his mother's hand.
"He became very tame and he'd chase any other seagulls away."
Some seasons Johnny would bring back a mate, taking food for her to the barbecue table.
At Zoe's funeral, Malone read out emails from family friends who could not attend. And he read out an "email" from Johnny.
"Well Mum, if I may call you that," it ended, "I always thought you would eventually join me in the sky where I can repay your kindness. Until we meet again, all my love Jonathan Livingston C Gull."
