Love a gull

The much maligned seagull has a reputation of being an aggressive, greedy opportunist – but I wonder, is this just learned behaviour as he soars way up high, from the oil and gas businessmen and women below?

We have had the good fortune to closely observe such a bird, as a herring gull recently took refuge in our garden. 'Mr Seagull' as we cleverly named him, was still showing a few juvenile brown feathers, had a nasty wound below his eye, his breast was splattered with blood, he looked beaten and his head was down.

As the kids would say, it was a 'no brainer' – we had to help him. Mr Seagull (aka Bert) started to perk up over a few days, feasting on a banquet of bird food. A makeshift bird bath made from a plant pot saucer and an old chimney pot gave him the comfort and life support of water. Prawns, fruit loaf and the occasional Pringle crisp from my husband were all hoovered up at speed and he quickly learned how to knock down the other birds peanut holders and feeders. Clever bird.

As he recovered, he tried to nest, studiously collecting twigs and ripping up moss from the garden, then lining the dog’s water dish with them. He is a majestic, intelligent, funny creature and we thoroughly enjoyed watching him come back to life. He still comes for a drink and a soak in his 'Bert Bath' and always visits when he gets the scent of Danish pastries from the Aga lum!

So please, do give Berts just five minutes of your time – they may, or may not, steal your chips but given half the chance, they will definitely steal your heart. Christine Morton, Aberdeen