Gavin and his Gull Gang - Tales from the Riverbank.
Gavin the Gull and his gang live on the flat roof of the apartment block opposite me. They rule the river, no question.
Before I moved to live by the river, I didn’t have much interaction with gulls, apart from at the seaside. I do remember one flying down the centre of a city street with a giant burger in his mouth, but other than that, I didn’t give gulls much thought. I’d see them by the sea, nicking chips, generally living up to their reputation.
Then one day, I took a photograph of a young gull, and he became the logo for my photographic business. Gavin the Gull soon became a legend in his own lifetime. He now has his own thriving Instagram page. Suddenly, I became very aware of how much gulls are loved by humans; despite their sometimes aggressive behaviour, they garner a great deal of respect. Watching them closely, I have to say I respect them too. I don’t always enjoy seeing some of the less than savoury things they get up to, but they are true survivors, that’s for sure, and I do like that.
Living by the river has given me a whole new perspective on gull life. I felt driven to find out more about these incredible creatures who let out ear-splitting cries at 3 a.m. as they fly off to clubland to pick over the kebab and fried chicken left-overs.
