There’s a small lake near here, still mostly frozen. But it’s got a new patch of open water, and excitement in the air.
Today, a wild-eyed bunch of gulls have ganged up around that bit of water. Some are flying in quick circles. Some stand on ice, looking for a fight.
These are Herring Gulls. Might be other kinds, too. Once I saw a Caspian Tern on this lake, so anything’s possible. But that’s not what this is about.
This is about a two-fisted rock song that came back to me when I saw the gulls.
They were looking for trouble, they were looking for a drink, but mostly they were looking for sex.
Listen to the old song, “The Boys Are Back In Town,” by the Irish rock group, Thin Lizzy. It nails the moment. Fun, dangerous, wild-eyed.
And sexual.
These birds aren’t just here for water. There’s sex in their blood. I don’t mean gulls will nest at this little lake. They do that elsewhere.
The open water is just this afternoon’s hangout. They’re back in town, back in season, roving around. Combative, excited, horny.
They’re not the only ones. There are also pairs of Canada Geese waiting for the ice to break. Geese aren’t all guys; they’re couples. But back in town, just the same. Because it’s time to have sex. They’ll melt that ice.
Further from the lake, lone Red-winged Blackbirds sit. Each is a pumped-up male in bright red and black plumage. Each hangs onto a reed, far apart from the others.
These guys are back in town. Got here early, before the females. They’re grabbing prime turf, something to impress a mate when she scouts the area. We think of eggs getting laid? Don’t kid yourself: It’s about these guys getting laid.
And back in the 1970s, Thin Lizzy came up with the sound track for all this:
“Guess who just got back today? Those wild-eyed boys that had been away…dressed to kill…and blood will spill…if the boys want to fight, you’d better let them…”
Then, like it was written for two-fisted bird watching itself:
“…the night’s are getting warmer, it won’t be long…it won’t be long till summer comes…now that the boys are here again…the boys are back in town.”
Love love love love this……
Could have ring billed gulls. Unless you’re really good at gulls it’s almost impossible to know.
i don’t normally make comments. but you’re talking about that song, a favorite of mine, just made my day…likening it to birds. Cool observation. Cool site.