Wednesday's Wisdom: "The Ground Effect" (Enables seagulls to glide low to the ground.)

It's been eightenteen days since I made my first beach trip for the 2017 year, and I am still in awe of what I witnessed re the seagulls who I encountered there (Long Beach on Long Island in NY).

In addition to learning of the differences between Herring Gulls and Ring-billed gulls, as well as seeing seagulls bathing in the Atlantic, I was reminded of just how low seagulls flew; as evidenced in the photographs atop this entry.

During my visits to both Long Beach and the beach at Robert Moses State Park in bygone years, I  had witnessed seagulls flying very low. At that time I researched what might be causing them to do this, and I learned that "there is in aerodynamics, a phenomenon called 'Ground Effect.' (The effect of added aerodynamic buoyancy produced by a cushion of air below a vehicle moving close to the ground.) It is where the air under a wing is being squeezed between the wing and the ground. The height of the ground effect depends on the size of the wing. So seagulls glide close to the surface because it is easier to glide there. Pelicans use ground effect, as do other sea birds."

I discussed these findings in a 2013 posting here on Blogger which you may reference by clicking here.

Meanwhile, more pictures of the low flying gulls, who I saw on October 7, 2017 can be found directly below.

Following Up (On a 8-2-13 Blogger Post)

LONG BEACH NEW YORK

LONG BEACH NEW YORK

ROBERT MOSES BEACH NEW YORK

ROBERT MOSES BEACH NEW YORK

The last time that I posted here on Blogger I mentioned that it was my fascination with the array of wild birds which visit my rooftop garden, that prompted me to be more observant than I had been in bygone years of the seagulls that I saw when I visited a couple of beaches last week with my sister. (A few photo-ops of these seagulls can be seen atop this entry.)

I am home now, and at the moment my "fascination with the array of wild birds which visit my garden," has turned into a mission: a mission as to what I can do to deter mourning doves and pigeons from interfering with my bird-feeders!

I understand these birds need to eat too, and I am happy to provide nourishment for them, but no matter what I do, the mourning doves as well as pigeons gravitate towards the feeders which are not intended for them!

A Few ANTICS of LONG ISLAND SEAGULLS

I have been away from Blogger to focus on my sister's annual visit, and now I'm focusing on a behavior of the mourning doves that visit my garden, a behavior in which they alight on one of my bird feeders in such a manner (as indicated in the image posted above) that it causes seeds to fall to the ground, "inviting" mice and pigeons into my garden, a problem I am continuing to have, and a problem that I will now be aggressive about finding a solution to resolve it now that my sister has left.

Prior to her arrival, I did procure a mini vacuum cleaner (the hand-held variety) to collect the fallen seeds, which will help to some extent, but some of the creatures that are ground feeders are ones that I want to have around, such as Cam and Mac, my visiting cardinal couple, seen in the image below.

My cardinal couple does not like to perch on any of the feeders that I have, so I am thinking of installing a pole system to secure my feeders, which may encourage Cam — as well as Mac — to perch on feeders that will have trays to collect falling seeds. By eliminating falling seeds I hope to deter the pigeons and mice who now visit far too often!

Meanwhile it is the behaviors and antics of the array of wild birds which visit my garden, that caused me to observe the seagulls I saw at two different beaches on the Atlantic Ocean (during my sister's visit) from another perspective than I had when I'd seen them in bygone years. 

A Lone Seagull Contemplates the Morning After: Tuesday Following Labor Day (But in Cyber-Land: "If it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr . . . " Week No. 32)

The sweet seagull seen in this image is possibly feeling the effects of withdrawal (I say "possibly" because I do not want to presume to know her feelings or thoughts) on a quiet Tuesday (day after Labor Day Tuesday), morning on Robert Moses State Park Beach, as she looks out into the Atlantic and wonders where another summer has gone. A summer she not only shared with her seagull comrades and sandpipers, but a summer where she has shared "her" turf, a sandy beach, with hoards of local folks who live close by as well as folks, such as yours truly, who managed to escape the concrete jungle of New York City for a chance to replace the roar of sirens with a roar of the Atlantic's mighty waves!

Ruffling Feathers

According to Garden Quotation's web page, someone once said, "The man who doesn't relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily, now and then, is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his head for the edification of the pathologist and trained nurse, a little later on."

So, in light of this "breaking news," I plan to take Labor Day off today in order to return to Robert Moses beach for a hike to the lighthouse, and I'm even going to remember to take the battery to my camera this time in the event I can grab a few photo-ops.

I might ruffle some feathers by taking a few hours off, but the house finch (seen here) who visits my urban garden assures me ruffling feathers is not such a bad thing — especially if it "saves" you from "hooting to trained nurses and pathologists!"