There are a couple of seagulls shagging on our front porch.
Sorry for the lack of photos, there was a bougainvillea in the way, also I didn’t want to disturb them and seem like some sort of Peeping Tom (capitals?) They were at it for a surprisingly long time, as far as bird sex goes. David Attenborough always makes it seem like a very fleeting event.
The island we’re staying on is a tiny coral atoll. It took us half an hour to walk around it the other day. You can see the mainland from here, which is very mountainous, but this island is quite flat. We’d be shit out of luck in the event of a tsunami, let’s put it that way.
It’s a paradise for birds here, in spite of all the people and associated buildings. I’ve seen no cats or dogs, but I wonder about rats? They don’t seem to be hugely cautious about the boats that come and dock here. In any event, it doesn’t stop the birds from spending time on the ground, and there are nests dug into the soil everywhere. They’re also quite fearless, not concerned about getting up close and personal.
This is not an appealing trait in the seagulls that torment diners at mealtimes, but when you’re sitting on your front porch, working hard to motor your way through an unsatisfactory book, it’s quite cute.
The birds are mostly surprisingly similar to those we have at home. The ones who are mooching around on the ground when we come back from dinner look much like petrels, or sooty shearwaters. I’m assuming they’re the ones that have the burrows all around. Not sure if they’re the ones making the shrieking noises at night? Thank goodness for double glazing, is all I can say. Should have figured out something was up when we saw the free earplugs in our cabin.
But actually, on the whole, I’m enjoying all the bird sounds. In fact, the proximity of the birds is a real plus for me, I’m surprised they didn’t make more of it as a feature in their advertising? Birds are not for everyone, I suppose. I’ve got two friends who find birds creepy in the extreme. Each to his own.
ps. I forgot to mention the strong smell of guano that assails the nostrils every time you step outside. This could be a negative for some, I will allow.