A Night with Swallow-tailed Gulls
Reflections on nature journaling and a behind-the-scenes look at my process
Gulls on the brain
Ever since I wrote about American Herring Gulls I’ve had gulls on the brain. This was assisted by others spreading around gull love, including Nathaniel Bowler who posted a photo of a Little Gull. I’d love to find a Little Gull in a flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls, and I’d also love to see a flock of Bonaparte’s!
James Freitas wrote an essay on the beauty of gulls, which included so many wonderful pictures. Gulls get me every time with their knack for picking up food that looks quite unwieldy,delightfully illustrated by many photos in James’ essay. James also writes about Lava Gulls, the rarest gull in the world, and found only in the Galapagos. I was lucky enough to visit the Galapagos with my husband Rob in 2019. On that trip we got to see those rare Lava Gulls as well as the world’s only nocturnal gull, the Swallow-Tailed Gull.
Nights shared with Swallow-tailed Gulls
Some of my fondest memories from that trip were of standing on the ship’s deck at night with Rob. The ship was lit up for a short time while other passengers were finishing their dinners, and it cast a halo onto the water. Up on the deck we were watching the water—intermittently sea lions and sharks would materialize, chasing the fish that were chasing the light. Above but not removed from the drama, we were utterly entranced. And as we watched the water, Swallow-tailed Gulls soared over our heads through the starlit sky.
I think we heard them calling to one another, but I’m not sure if we ever saw them descend to the water to take their portion of the hunt. My abbreviated travel journal lacks those precious details and my memories of that very memorable trip have faded.
This week I decided to recreate that experience through illustration, which also strengthened my commitment to keep a more detailed nature journal. Events I have nature journaled remain vibrant, assisted by the time machine that is my journal. When I revisit those pages I am transported—I can see, hear, and feel that day. Events that I haven’t nature journaled become hazy, obscured by the present’s thoughts and worries (many of which I ought to let go). I am therefore resolved to nature journal as much as I can. The colors of the night’s sky, the brightness of stars, the sound of birds soaring overhead, the shared joy with a loved one—that is what’s worth hanging on to.
