SCENES FROM THE BEACH | by George Thatcher / DEC. 27, 2015
Hundreds of gulls assemble this afternoon, some in drowsy flocks on the beach; others occupy sand bars in the shallows. Although not allowed on the beach, a dog has great fun, running from one gull roost to another, sending the birds into noisy flight. Carl Sandburg described the sound of such an exodus as the " ... fluttering storm of gulls, masses of great gray wings, and flying white bellies, veering and wheeling free in the open."* Soon the dog departs, and the gulls settle back down. -- Diary, winter 2015
* "The Harbor," The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg, Harcourt Brace, Jovanovich Inc., New York (1970).
From the diary of beach walker George Thatcher / Email: fishcrow@aol.com
Collections of Mr. Thatcher's observations are available from Quail Ridge Press (www.quailridge.com or 1-800-343-1583).
This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 7:31 PM with the headline "SCENES FROM THE BEACH | by George Thatcher / DEC. 27, 2015 ."