The sun may be lighting up the sky in a spectacular display of color, but there’s another reason why nobody’s sleeping in this morning. Some mother’s child is upsetting the peace and quiet of the marsh with incessant whining. Good grief!
Despite its camouflage plumage and the low light, it’s easy to see from where the annoying whining is originating. I’ve caught this act before. It’s not unusual to see immature seagulls pestering adults for food. It’s an odd sight as some of these juveniles appear just as large as the parent.
The whiner’s mother is of course ignoring it and pretending it’s someone else’s offspring that’s waking up the entire neighborhood.
What’s a parent to do, especially with a child that should be old enough to fend for itself?
‘Feed the brat!!’ the cormorant suggests. But is that really the best solution?
Don’t give in to whining. Giving in teaches a child that whining is the sort of behaviour and tone of voice that will generate a result.
~ Jo Frost aka Supernanny
Okay, so you don’t give in. But surely there has to be a way to make it stop. Late last week I came across the carcass of a juvenile gull along the trail. Did the eagles take matters into their own hands talons that day?
Who knows? Unfortunately, what goes on in the marsh stays in the marsh. The cormorants certainly weren’t disclosing anything on that story.
Silver Sands gets its name from the sparkling sand that used to cover its beach. This sand was taken away decades ago by trucks for use in the city. Now all that remains are stones and short pockets of sand here and there at low tide. There are mud flats and grasses in a marsh behind the shore. This is where I caught sight of a very large white bird. Its elongated neck and long legs reminded me of the many Great Blue Herons I’ve seen at Rainbow Haven Beach and along the Salt Marsh Trail. My best guess is that it was a White Egret. It flew off as I approached, and in its flight looked very much like the herons. 
Flandrum Hill 