Jonathan Livingston Seagull, my herring gull

[@mrhorse4298]

He's a fine looking bird and you're lucky to have him as your friend

[@_Obey_]

@albert fish "Get a life" says the person who fucking comments under every single Seagull video I've ever seen on youtube.

[@leonrodenburg]

I understand him, you know. When your name is Fish, I'ld be scared of herring gulls too. A herring gull is killing to a fish, so he wants to get a life. It makes sense.

[@StupidFeature]

@albert fish nooooo seagulls are so cool

[@PuggleCake]

@albert fish you can tell they actually care about birds being attacked or other people being bother by them when instead of calmly explaining why they shouldn’t feed them they just insult them and tell them to get a life 🥺

[@brumxplanecrazytube]

This gull is a handsome fella, lovely bird.

[@leonrodenburg]

Wait until it sits on your lap and you discover its wing span is 1.40 m (over 4 feet)! Handsome and impressive. I love them. Have you seen my other video of the same gull and its young? kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5bGiH6FopZme7s

[@undertyped1]

Yep, the title is accurate. This seagull would be delicious served with a side of herring.

[@blacky_Ninja]

Funny how most Seagulls you can see on youtube are absolute topmodels of their species. Beautiful birbs! 🥰

[@leonrodenburg]

I couldn't agree more, black_Ninja. Not only is this one a topmodel, but also a sports model. You should see his speed when another gull enters, what he regards as his territory. When we have visitors this gull will come and sit next to them and my guests are usually quite impressed by the size. I can imagine why, you never get real close enough to a gull to appreciate its size.

[@firegator6853]

of course....gotta look good for the camera, thousands and maybe millions of people will watch them

[@Elix_shorts]

omg this little cutie is so CUTE

[@leonrodenburg]

This “little cutie” has a 5 foot span. I don’t know what you are used to, but here, in The Netherlands”, it is a fair sized bird. Swans, eagles and herons are of course bigger, but in the total spectrum of birds here, it is most certainly not “little”. Cute it is.

[@Zachary-uk6xp]

Awww. That’s cute. 🥰 What a nice gull.

[@trucid2]

I've never seen such a good looking gull. Very handsome.

[@leonrodenburg]

Indeed, he looks very good. His mate is even more handsome. Males are slightly bigger than females, that's how know who's who. Having said that, this couple has been visiting us for at least 15 years. For the last few years he hasn't shown up anymore. Likely he died. His mate has come a couple of times ever since, but she was chased away every time, because the territory was taken over by another male. I recognise the male by a malformation of one of his toes. The female I wouldn't recognise except for the fact that she would sit on my lap without hesitation. Other gulls don't sit on one's lap. It took me years to gain their trust (and a lot of food!). Unfortunately, I haven't seen the female anymore for 2 years now. What I miss the most: the parents coming along to show their young. The young see the trust the parents have in us, so they are not afraid either. The downside always that the young had no idea how painfull it is when they peck you with their beaks. As they say, you win a gull, you loose a gull. Thanks for your response, Leon.

[@ceciLOVEtaco]

15 yrs ！！！！ Day 5,501, I'm feeding my pet seagull & his children, children's children....to gain their trust !

[@leonrodenburg]

These herring gulls can get as old as 35 years. Unfortunately, I can't tell how old a gull is. So, you never know how long you may enjoy a particular gull. Last winter I lost my male gull, i.e. it didn't return after the winter season (I recognise him, because lost a toe nail). The female did return with another male, but they never came to show their young. I'm afraid I lost my gulls, but I may be proven wrong next year. I keep my fingers crossed.

[@ceciLOVEtaco]

@@leonrodenburg Good luck to you ,wish he returns next year !

[@MrCrabbing]

Fantastic its great to see that some people like sea gulls, we have one too for three years but my neighbour hates them and is always complaining about me feeding him odd bits

[@leonrodenburg]

You hate or you love them, there seems no room in between the two extremes. They have their nests on our roofs all over the neighbourhood. At night they talk to each other in a very loud voice. Regularly we have to close the bedroom windows. Still we love them. “Our” gulls also come with their young as soon as they can fly. They show no fear at all. You have herring gulls as friends?

[@tekkencentre]

@@leonrodenburg A herring gull has been coming to my window for around four months now. Just three days ago, he came to show me his chick and was completely comfortable with me being around it. He does bring along his mate occasionally too - from the looks of it, the other seagull in your video might be female (presumably Jonathan's spouse?).

[@leonrodenburg]

@@tekkencentre A male is always slightly bigger than the female. We have herring gulls and lesser black backed gulls (larus fuscus) in the neighbourhood. When they get into a fight, it's quite a spectacle. They attack each other fiercely. Not a nice sight. Enjoy your gull, they can get as old as 35 years.

[@themorgan1111]

I too have a Herring gull pet...his name is Doug...i love him so much xxxx

[@leonrodenburg]

We share the same love for the same species, Louise. I am afraid that my pet gull, Jonathan (Livingston Seagull) didn’t make it through winter. He didn’t return, I’m afraid. Sad, to die is also part of life.

[@firegator6853]

just observing him from up close is enough to tell you why this is my second most favourite bird on the whole planet and i have seen a lot of bird species both in real life and in the internet

[@leonrodenburg]

Now, the question is what is your most favourite bird?

[@firegator6853]

@@leonrodenburg hoatzin is in the first place

[@leonrodenburg]

@@firegator6853 I had to look that one up. Amazing bird indeed. Wikipedia says it is a herbivore/folivore, but when you look at the claws..... it's not a bird you want on your lap like my gulls.

[@firegator6853]

@@leonrodenburg only the babies have claws in the wings that look very well like primitive birds from mesozoic it helps them climb up trees if they happen to fall from the nest, as they grow the wing fingers and claws decrease and become like normal bird the whole bird in general gives a prehistoric vibe and believed to be the last surviving member of a group of birds that branched off 64 million years ago 2 million years after the extinction of the non avian dinosaurs and i love it you would expect something like this to be extinct yet its alive and not endangered at all

[@leonrodenburg]

@@firegator6853 Yes, I read about the special baby claws. But look at this adult, I don't know what you are used to, but I call these serious claws that would dig real deep into my skin if it sat on my lap. www.talkinhawkin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/shutterstock_hoatzin.jpg

[@jamesadams2333]

Now that is just adorable! I didn’t think they had memories like that. Simply wonderful.

[@HelenaMikas]

A wonderful bird .The noise made by gulls is pleasanter than many people en mass ..I live in Berlin and we have no sea but lots and lots of huge water expanses .The city is home to many varieties of gull ..

[@SuperTed19021]

That's one *big and fine* seagull you got there, sir!

[@leonrodenburg]

The gull came back every year over a period of 15 years or so. Since a couple of years I haven’t seen him at all. Did it die? Likely. His mate did come back a few times with another male. However, after one season she didn’t return either. A real pity, but such is life. One day I will not return. I hope that will be in a far and distant future. Have a nice day.

[@SuperTed19021]

@@leonrodenburg *A sad and real story of life you are telling me.* Happens to us all. PS: For what I have read or know, most herring gulls I believe normally life to 12-15 years, with over 30 if very lucky.

[@leonrodenburg]

@@SuperTed19021 Jonathan, that's how my wife and I called him, was an adult when it came to us the first time. We live very close to the dunes (300 m) close to where a herring gull colony was. However, more and more foxes came into the area, robbing from the nests. So, the colony took off to the best place possible out of reach of foxes: our roof tops. Jonathan and mate thought our rooftop was the best. So, we got connected. I gave them scraps of food (mostly fish). He trusted us more and more and one day, when I was sitting outside on our roof terrace, he jumped onto the seat I was sitting on. Soon after he was eating out of my hand. His mate trusted me too, as well as their young. With the young it was a bit awkward, because they would pick at the hairs on my legs, but they had no idea what a formidable weapon their beak is. It really hurt. Every year they had two or sometimes three young. After a while the favourite young chases away the other young and the parents also chase the not-so-favourite young away. Certain death for the chased young, I suppose. First time I saw this behaviour, I was stunned and appalled, but it happened every year. It must be their nature. So be it, but it is heartbreaking to see it happen every year. Everything in past tense now. Cheers, Leon.

[@moggiepics8548]

He's beautiful! Makes me want to befriend a gull myself.

[@leonrodenburg]

It helps to live in a place where they live too. I live about 800 m from the seaside, as the gull flies. Don't live at 46º17'North, 86º40' East, as that is the point furthest away from a coast line (www.quora.com/What-is-the-farthest-place-from-the-sea-on-Earth?share=1) Just yesterday one of the gulls was sitting in my lap.

[@moggiepics8548]

@@leonrodenburg That's great, I'm moving house for a new job and I'm gonna be living right on the coast too, cant wait! Love the beach.

[@leonrodenburg]

@@moggiepics8548 You can find me on the beach every single day. Needless to say whether I like the sea. I go sailing on the sea at least once a week, mostly racing. Well, thanks to covid, no racing in the past year. Becoming friends with a herring gull....it took me years. Once you have a friend, they will be your friend for a long time. They can get as old as 35 years. This friend has been seeing us for at least 15 years.

[@VesperAegis]

I shall befriend a seagull on the morrow.

[@RedTitan5]

I hope Steven the seagull will meet your friend gull

[@dicentra7302]

Wonderful!

[@markgrey5360]

They are such cute birds!🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@leonrodenburg]

You should see the cars in the streets. They are on their nests on the rooftops. As soon as they have their lift-off, they de-ballast themselves immediately. If ever I develop a paint, it will be based on gull$hit: very white and it will never wear off. However, you're right, they are cute.

[@Off-The-X]

They know more than anyone can ever know. Seen the same birds everyday on the beach for 6 years.

[@Kristina-yv9xj]

Shto?etot tshelovek spit?❤❤❤😂😂ptitshka super❤

[@Kristina-yv9xj]

Oh,so coool❤❤❤❤😂😂😂

[@leonrodenburg]

Hi Kristina, my gull was indeed very cool. From October to January-Februari these gulls "disappear", i.e. they don't visit us. These birds don't migrate! So, they aremust be in the neighbourhood. Since a couple of years this couple has not returned. Probably the male stayed at sea, as we say over here. Sad, but death is also part life. Enjoy your weekend, Leon.

[@saadjawed4456]

Gulls are his oomf, but gulls are beast.

[@alexishamer6427]

I like 👍 ❤️ seagulls is because they have lovely 😻 🥰 ☺️ feathers 🪶. I’ve seen seagulls mating. They have a heart ❤️ 💓 ♥️ of gold. They are a star ⭐️ 🌟 💫 . 👍

[@klaasomega1]

Klasse bay from Holland Klaas Joop Visser.

[@yucelyukselmert6614]

very nice

[@naturalreach4316]

What a lovely video

[@philippah6488]

Oh my gosh he stood on ur leg🥹🥹❤️ I so jealous

[@leonrodenburg]

Yep, the gull comes and will be on my leg. Unfortunately, after at least 15 years of visiting us, they don't come anymore. Possibly one or both died. They used to have their nest on top of our roof (not a blessing at night, they scream all night long), so the young would come as well and they were absolutely not afraid of us. The young have no idea about the force of their beaks, so the encounters were sometimes painful. We loved them nevertheless.

[@TurkeyLivesMatter]

Usually they’re too scared to go up to you’re couch

[@leonrodenburg]

True, it took me years to get their trust. For at least 15 years they came back every year. I haven't seen them now for a couple of years. We can only guess why, but they don't live forever.......

[@mightyxt]

That seagull is a pretty bird.

[@richardtardif9549]

They are all my big friend.

[@leonrodenburg]

Richard, this herring gull came for at least 15 years to us. I recognise him (it's a male for sure) because he has a mark on one of its feet. Last time I saw him was in September last year. They always leave for a couple of months, but this spring he hasn't returned. I feel real sad about it. Having said that, there's a couple of herring gulls visiting us now and they are not shy at all. I assume they are offspring of "our" herring gulls, because the young were never shy either. When you go here, you will see one of their young jump on my leg. It took me years to gain their trust....and lots of food 😂

[@richardtardif9549]

I live in Montreal Canada and in the winter they go to Leesport Pennsylvania i knows some for ten years because they have bagues with numbers an i report them on UQAM universite and they gives historic of the birds and they were born at Deslauriers island near Montreal .I love them with big love: CHAMPIONS!@@leonrodenburg

[@richardtardif9549]

Here in Montreal it`s ring billed gulls.@@leonrodenburg

[@leonrodenburg]

@@richardtardif9549 And I live in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. I have been sailing with a friend in the Mediterranean in France. One day he asked me to listen to the herring gulls. I paid more than the usual attention to them and I said "they speak a different language". It made him happy, because he has been saying that people, who said he was crazy. I confirmed his observation. It would be interesting to know whether "your" herring gulls speak differently than "my" herring gulls. Est-il possible que votre langue préféré n'est pas anglais?

[@richardtardif9549]

I`m French Canadian and they all speaks Love.@@leonrodenburg

[@manspetter9921]

You and Feeding Steven should meet

[@LitpalLitpal]

There are two of them actually 🦅🦅

[@coffeecaim2527]

I'd love to have a pet seagull

[@leonrodenburg]

It helps if gulls live in your area. At least it's a good start...... And you need a lot of patience.

[@coffeecaim2527]

@@leonrodenburg they're everywhere where I live. They're in every street and since I live near a beach there's a lot

[@leonrodenburg]

@@coffeecaim2527 No need to answer, if you don't want to, but is that the North Sea coast? On the west or the east side. I live in Scheveningen, The Hague, the Netherlands. The gulls were chased from their colony in the dunes by foxes. They now have their nests on the rooftops. Not exactly a blessing. They talk to one another at night over the rooftops (we often have to close bedroom windows because of the noise) and they whitewash the streets. The actually seem to aim specifically for cars. If I am ever going to develop a paint, it will be based on gull poop: very white and it never wears off. Still, I love them. We have a saying in Scheveningen: keep Scheveningen clean, eat a gull a day.

[@aprioriontoast704]

CUTE

[@leonrodenburg]

Thanks. This bird has been visiting us for at least 15 years. I recognise the male because of a deformation at its left foot. Normally they leave with their young end of August/early September and return again some time in December. However, last December it didn't and I haven't seen him yet. I am afraid I will never see him again. However, other herring gulls do visit us now. As they are not shy at all, they might be the young. In this video I took some time ago, you can see that the young are used to us: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5bGiH6FopZme7s

[@aprioriontoast704]

@@leonrodenburg are the new gulls as tame as the last ones?

[@leonrodenburg]

@@aprioriontoast704 No, the new gulls are not yet as tame. It's a roof terrace where this was filmed, quite open and windy and I must admit that I don't spend much time outside. It's too windy and cold to stay on the terrace too long. I'm quite certain I'll gain their trust too. Eventually.

[@syntaxed2]

Cute but as you say - So noisy at times :D

[@leonrodenburg]

We close our bedroom windows very regularly this time of the year, because they love to "talk" to each other during the very early hours of the morning. Nevertheless, I love their talk. At 6, 6.30 in the morning, these bastards know I'm up and in the kitchen, they call me for their breakfast. There's always some scrap leftovers to please them. By the way, these gulls are not the only birds to visit us: black jaws, magpies, pigeons, ......we have a wuite some fans.

[@louisehelgesson5471]

Big birds

[@andreabuzzolan9807]

Look like less perky than Steven 😂😂

[@f1championyoutube2.09]

It looks more like Glen. At least its eyes

[@cocofellas]

I have herring gulls as well! How do you get them to be your friend??

[@leonrodenburg]

Hi Caillou, We have a large roof terrace. We sit and dine on the terrace very regularly. Especially the dining interests the gull, what a surprise. Sometimes I lay some scrap food on the side, but close to where we sit. After one or two years, I gained sufficient trust that it would eat directly from my hand. After another 2 years it would come and sit next to me, as you saw in the video. Even when I have no food, it will come and relax at my side. Unfortunately, the gull hasn't returned this year. However, other gulls approach me without hesitation, probably offspring of the couple that visited us for such a long time. It is yet too cold to sit outdoors, but I will try to gain their trust as well. You say you have herring gulls as well. Just as tame as this gull? How did you get your gull? And where do you live?

[@leonrodenburg]

I nearly forgot, but I have another video with my gull and one of its young: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5bGiH6FopZme7s

[@cocofellas]

@@leonrodenburg I live in Gloucester which is the land of seagulls!

[@cocofellas]

@@leonrodenburg but probably not as tame as your gulls. I have a bunch of guys that like to beg for food but I don’t think they really know me on a personal level to remember me.

[@GHXST6-9]

Wait, is that Glenn?

[@LitpalLitpal]

🦅❤️👍

[@MemesnShet]

Have you tried to pet it?

[@leonrodenburg]

Yes, I tried to pet him. He allows a little petting on the breast, but nowhere else. Any sudden move raises his alertness immediately. His “wife” is even more alert and doesn’t allow any petting. Their young has been presented and now they’ve taken off. I presume to teach their young all necessary techniques to survive. The parents will be back later this year. This happens every year for at least 15 years.

[@mrhorse4298]

@@leonrodenburg Did he ever return? You mentioned elsewhere that he had failed to appear last year.

[@leonrodenburg]

@@mrhorse4298 unfortunately he never returned. The misses did, I.e. I think. Upon her return she was immediately at ease, i.e. she sat on my lap without hesitation. Later she returned with another male (significantly bigger). He wasn’t at ease at first, but after a while he’s comfortable in my presence. Yesterday was the first time they took their young with them. Great to see. What happened to the male that didn’t return remains a mystery that will never be solved. Killed, died of old age, disease, divorced? We will never know.

[@peterpan5295]

Hahaha jij hebt ze daar voor het uitzoeken daar in Scheveningen... Maar ik heb zelf een mantelmeeuw die elke dag vreten komt halen ik woon in de schilderswijk vlakbij

[@leonrodenburg]

De Schilderswijk is anders ook niet meeuwvrij.... Mantelmeeuwen zijn nog een slag groter dan een zilvermeeuw. Ik ben jaloers.

[@peterpan5295]

@@leonrodenburg ja klopt het is een joekel van een vogel maar hij is wel lief verder hij komt elke dag in m'n tuin stukken makreel en visafval halen die pak ik op de Haagse markt

[@leonrodenburg]

@@peterpan5295 Geen gezeur met de buren? Als we bezoek hebben, merk ik dat mensen zo’n grote vogel toch wel indrukwekkend vinden. Ik weet niet beter. De jonkies zijn soms wel een probleem. Als die bij me zitten, willen ze nog wel eens in mijn been pikken en dan merk je wat een wapen die snavel is. We hebben hier in de buurt ook wat mantelmeeuwen zitten, ze broeden op de daken. De mantelmeeuwen zijn een stuk schuwer dan zilvermeeuwen. Soms komen ze wel eens op bezoek, maar dan is het gelijk oorlog met de zilvermeeuwen. Zo erg dat de veren in het rond vliegen. Ze zoeken het maar uit.

[@peterpan5295]

@@leonrodenburg ja soms is de buurvrouw bang voor hem want het is een immense vogel en het klopt ook dat ze keihard kunnen pikken in m'n hand soms hahaha

[@killerband155]

Do you feed the seagull everyday in order to gain it’s trust? 🤨

[@leonrodenburg]

First time I "met" this gull was about 20 years ago. I recognise the gull, because it is missing one of its toes. We were having a BBQ and the gull approached us up to 5 m. I gave it some scraps of meat (not the best part!). It ate it eagerly. From then on the gull cam on a regular basis. Every time we had some food left over (fish bones/skin, or something meaty, stale bread, .....) I would save it for the gull. I put the food close to me on top of a low wall. It approached closer and closer and after three years it would eat from my hand. It took another two years before it would sit on my lap. So, it takes a long, long time before you gain its trust. The first gull was a male and it brought its mate. Males are slightly bigger than females. The female also trusted me, but was slightly more shy and always stayed that way. Every winter the gulls disappear, from October to February. Two years ago the male didn't return, I never saw him again. The female did come back. I don't recognise her, but she is not shy at all and will sit next to me without hesitation. So, I assume it is her. She found a new mate, but he remains shy. Funny is that the couple always brought their young to us. As they saw that their parents were at ease with us, they approached us too. They sit on our lap too. Unfortunately, the young don't realise that their beak is quite powerful. When they peck you, it really hurts. The young also come back, but they are fiercely chased away by their parents. It's their parents' territory. They are great animals.