West Seattle Blog…

Reader report: Seagull’s sad fate – anyone see it sooner?

November 30, 2008 at 12:52 pm | In Fauntleroy, West Seattle parks, Wildlife | 17 Comments

Bradley5 sent photos of an upside-down dead seagull in a Lincoln Park tree, noting he debated whether to share it, but is curious about what happened earlier – did anyone see it, tangled, before it died? What would you do in a case like this? Click ahead to see his photo (not particularly gross but we don’t want to put it right on the main page) and read what he has to say:

Bradley5 writes:

Talk about strange! The day before Thanksgiving, when walking my dog at Lincoln Park, scanning the trees & sky for Eagles and such like I always do, I spotted a dead seagull dangling upside down high up in a tree. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing so I zoomed in with my camera to confirm. It appears the poor bird got tangled in string on the branches and ultimately met it’s death there. It was still there when I was at the park yesterday. It’s way high in a tree just south of the eagles nest tree (what’s left of it) near the top of the bluff, and at the top of the east/west trail through the middle of the park that leads you nearest to the eagles nest tree, just look up. I wonder if anyone saw the bird while it was still alive???

We haven’t yet found the hands-down obvious place to call if you see a bird like that in trouble, still alive; the state Fish and Wildlife Department has a hotline for “multiple dead bird” sightings, 1-800-606-8768, according to its weekly wildlife report (latest edition here).

17 Comments

1. dropped by an Eagle maybe? Old and died?

   Comment by Mike — November 30, 08 1:36 pm #

2. I am a professional seagull handler and to my trained eye, this looks like a textbook case of suicide. Unfortunately we see it all too often this time of year.

   Comment by SomeGuy — November 30, 08 1:42 pm #

3. Really, are you serious? Why would a seagull commit suicide. This is really sad. I love birds.

   Comment by Lisa — November 30, 08 3:04 pm #

4. He’s O.K., just “hanging out” at the park…

   Comment by marty — November 30, 08 3:45 pm #

5. very currious with the suicide comment. Can you further explain? Just cause I am really interested.

   Comment by P — November 30, 08 4:20 pm #

6. It’s so sad when birds commit suicide.

   Comment by acemotel — November 30, 08 4:44 pm #

7. The warning signs I typically look for include spending a lot of time alone and listening to Depeche Mode.

   Comment by SomeGuy — November 30, 08 4:51 pm #

8. I would have thought you’d say Flock of Seagulls.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk

   Comment by WSB — November 30, 08 5:59 pm #

9. Isn’t there some way to get help for these birds? Perhaps a hotline or something?

   Seems to me a huge waste of potential to just let these creatures take their own life without some kind of intervention…

   Comment by WSGreenBeaner — November 30, 08 7:26 pm #

10. SomeGuy – that was legendary.

    Comment by Rbj — November 30, 08 7:48 pm #

11. Hey SomeGuy,
    Bahaha. That was too funny. I laughed out loud. :O)

    Comment by WTF — November 30, 08 9:19 pm #

12. P.S. Maybe and finally, Jonathon Livingston Seagull died of boredom at his own movie.

    Comment by WTF — November 30, 08 9:22 pm #

13. If only they had a fly-in clinic the bird would have been able to seek help earier. So i take it there is a new bird to add to the dird watchers guide (the dead feather file).

    Comment by Cheri — November 30, 08 10:32 pm #

14. Come on guys don’t get carried away with this…next thing you know ole Mayor Nick-idiot will start a move to establish a team of ornithologists that are specifically designated to search out distraught Seagulls and others Avians to get them in to suicide prevention treatment.

    Comment by Westwood Resident — December 1, 08 7:59 am #

15. This stuff isn’t too funny when you have lost someone to suicide as I have (my father). Be a bit more compassionate people will ya.

    Comment by Stephanie — December 1, 08 12:30 pm #

16. The PAWS Wild Animal Clinic in Lynnwood takes in injured birds or other wild things that you might rescue. Phone number 425-787-2500. Unfortunately too late for this poor one.

    Comment by SG — December 1, 08 2:18 pm #

17. Stephanie has a point and that’s why I’m closing this thread. Nothing has come in for a couple days except more insensitive remarks about suicide, and you know what, suicide’s not funny. It’s an epidemic and a vastly underaddressed one at that. As we say clearly in our rules, we reserve the right not to approve any comment at any time for any reason, and I’m exercising that right here. Sorry I didn’t do it sooner. As we also have said frequently, there are many sites, including news organizations much bigger than ours, where comment threads are allowed to become free-for-alls. Not in our house. Thanks.

    Comment by WSB — December 2, 08 1:12 pm #

Sorry, after 3 weeks of commentlessness, comment time is over.