Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?

````````
A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
neighborhood shop.

The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn’t looking, and then walks
into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.

Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.

The seagull’s shoplifting started early this month when he first
swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
bag of chips. Since then, he’s become a regular. He always takes the
same type of chips.

Customers have begun paying for the seagull’s stolen bags of chips
because they think it’s so funny.

http://www.picsoap.com/Thumbs/a53e81c30cb94e06b778.gif




--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

sf wrote:
> Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>
> ````````
> A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
> neighborhood shop.
>
> The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn't looking, and then walks
> into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
>
> Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
>
> The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first
> swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
> bag of chips. Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the
> same type of chips.
>
> Customers have begun paying for the seagull's stolen bags of chips
> because they think it's so funny.
>
> http://www.picsoap.com/Thumbs/a53e81c30cb94e06b778.gif

That's hilarious! I wonder what would happen if the shop owner rearranged
the bags of chips on the rack?

Jill

sf wrote:
>
> Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?

Back in the first first half of the 20th century,
there was a very unusual exhibition of animal
intelligence among British birds. Some bird had
figured out how to remove the caps on glass milk
bottles to drink the cream on top. Over the years,
this behavior spread across Britain and to other
countries and even to other bird species.

http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg...birdbrain.html

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...gl=us&ie=UTF-8

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:46:22 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>sf wrote:
>>
>> Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>
>Back in the first first half of the 20th century,
>there was a very unusual exhibition of animal
>intelligence among British birds. Some bird had
>figured out how to remove the caps on glass milk
>bottles to drink the cream on top. Over the years,
>this behavior spread across Britain and to other
>countries and even to other bird species.
>
>http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg...birdbrain.html
>
>http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...gl=us&ie=UTF-8

And there are crows in Japan that drop nuts in crosswalks, where they
are run over by cars, and then retrieve the nuts when the cars are
stopped at a red light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmKO-QMyLc4&NR


Barry in Indy

Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> sf wrote:
> >
> > Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>
> Back in the first first half of the 20th century,
> there was a very unusual exhibition of animal
> intelligence among British birds. Some bird had
> figured out how to remove the caps on glass milk
> bottles to drink the cream on top. Over the years,
> this behavior spread across Britain and to other
> countries and even to other bird species.
>
> http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg...birdbrain.html
>
> http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...gl=us&ie=UTF-8

They don't even bother to remove the caps. I've seen the smaller birds
just punch a hole in the foil caps to access the cream. There are
special covers to put over the bottles to prevent this.

sf wrote:
> Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>
> ````````
> A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
> neighborhood shop.
>
> The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn’t looking, and then walks
> into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
>
> Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
>
> The seagull’s shoplifting started early this month when he first
> swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
> bag of chips. Since then, he’s become a regular. He always takes the
> same type of chips.



At LaJolla Shores beach just north of San Diego the seagulls actually
look for the blankets or towels where people have left to walk the beach
or swim. The gulls tear into the picnic food baskets or bags and take
whatever they can find. They really make a mess, but they are very
skilled in finding food. I think other sunbathers don't chase them away
because they are so fascinating to watch at work.

gloria p

On Sep 22, 12:46 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> sf wrote:
>
> > Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>
> Back in the first first half of the 20th century,
> there was a very unusual exhibition of animal
> intelligence among British birds. Some bird had
> figured out how to remove the caps on glass milk
> bottles to drink the cream on top. Over the years,
> this behavior spread across Britain and to other
> countries and even to other bird species.
>
> http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg...birdbrain.html
>
> http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:....tribe.net/tri...

When I was but a tot, my Gramps had a vegetable garden across the lot
between his home and the neighbor who was trying to find out who was
stealing the one bottle of cream that had been delivered each day
among other goods the milkman left at 0'dark-thirty each morning that
week. Gramps was checking a row of corn one day to see if enough ears
were ready for picking, when he stumbled upon a rather neat pile of
pint size bottles, each one empty. Next morning he took watch out the
kitchen window to see the cream bandit steal into the garden. It was
his Labrabor, Brownie, that was stealing the neighbor's cream to
drink! Gramps hollared out Brownie's name, heard the breaking glass
as the pooch was startled, and there was no more stolen cream after
that day.

....Picky

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:06:43 GMT, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>Santa Cruz: If you move away from your fish and chips by more
>than 3 feet at the municipal peer, they'll be gone in less than a
>second. The gulls know that as long as you get 1 step away, they
>have time to get in and out.

Absolutely! When I take my students to the zoo, gull watch is the
norm at lunchtime.
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

On Sep 22, 7:49?am, sf wrote:

> Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?

When I'd take oysters from the beach on Hood Canal in
Washington State, 2 or 3 gulls would always lurk about
five or six feet behind me looking for discards. The
undersides of oysters - where they attach themselves
tenaciously to other oysters or rocks - are quite soft
and fragile. No matter how delicately I'd try to pry the
oysters from the rocks or each other, I'd always rupture
some. That's what they were after, just as soon as I'd
move a few feet away.

Puester wrote:
>
> sf wrote:
> > Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
> >
> > ````````
> > A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
> > neighborhood shop.
> >
> > The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn’t looking, and then walks
> > into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
> >
> > Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
> >
> > The seagull’s shoplifting started early this month when he first
> > swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
> > bag of chips. Since then, he’s become a regular. He always takes the
> > same type of chips.
>
> At LaJolla Shores beach just north of San Diego the seagulls actually
> look for the blankets or towels where people have left to walk the beach
> or swim. The gulls tear into the picnic food baskets or bags and take
> whatever they can find. They really make a mess, but they are very
> skilled in finding food. I think other sunbathers don't chase them away
> because they are so fascinating to watch at work.
>
> gloria p

The little rock squirrels that inhabit the rockier parts of that area
will steal crisps/chips from unwary sunbathers. Used to park at Torrey
Pines before going to work nearby just to watch the petty thievery. The
squirrels are quite adept at lifting the goods out of an open bag.
Haven't seen them opening bags though.

"Arri London" > wrote

> Puester wrote:
>>
>> sf wrote:
>> > Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
>> >
>> > ````````
>> > A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
>> > neighborhood shop.
>> >
>> > The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn't looking, and then walks
>> > into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
>> >
>> > Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
>> >
>> > The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first
>> > swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
>> > bag of chips. Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the
>> > same type of chips.
>>
>> At LaJolla Shores beach just north of San Diego the seagulls actually
>> look for the blankets or towels where people have left to walk the beach
>> or swim. The gulls tear into the picnic food baskets or bags and take
>> whatever they can find. They really make a mess, but they are very
>> skilled in finding food. I think other sunbathers don't chase them away
>> because they are so fascinating to watch at work.

> The little rock squirrels that inhabit the rockier parts of that area
> will steal crisps/chips from unwary sunbathers. Used to park at Torrey
> Pines before going to work nearby just to watch the petty thievery. The
> squirrels are quite adept at lifting the goods out of an open bag.
> Haven't seen them opening bags though.

People who live near the ocean have a problem with seagulls
snatching cooking steaks right off the grill. Forget about walking
away unless you can put the lid down.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> "Arri London" > wrote
>
> > Puester wrote:
> >>
> >> sf wrote:
> >> > Have you gotten an email about the shoplifting Seagull?
> >> >
> >> > ````````
> >> > A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
> >> > neighborhood shop.
> >> >
> >> > The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn't looking, and then walks
> >> > into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
> >> >
> >> > Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
> >> >
> >> > The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first
> >> > swooped into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a
> >> > bag of chips. Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the
> >> > same type of chips.
> >>
> >> At LaJolla Shores beach just north of San Diego the seagulls actually
> >> look for the blankets or towels where people have left to walk the beach
> >> or swim. The gulls tear into the picnic food baskets or bags and take
> >> whatever they can find. They really make a mess, but they are very
> >> skilled in finding food. I think other sunbathers don't chase them away
> >> because they are so fascinating to watch at work.
>
> > The little rock squirrels that inhabit the rockier parts of that area
> > will steal crisps/chips from unwary sunbathers. Used to park at Torrey
> > Pines before going to work nearby just to watch the petty thievery. The
> > squirrels are quite adept at lifting the goods out of an open bag.
> > Haven't seen them opening bags though.
>
> People who live near the ocean have a problem with seagulls
> snatching cooking steaks right off the grill. Forget about walking
> away unless you can put the lid down.
>
> nancy

Cool! Haven't seen that yet. Did see a young grey squirrel nick a hot
dog out of a trash can at a state park. The hot dog was about the length
of the squirrel. It did get the thing up the tree though. Didn't even
know squirrels ate meat.

"Arri London" > wrote

> Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> "Arri London" > wrote

>> > The little rock squirrels that inhabit the rockier parts of that area
>> > will steal crisps/chips from unwary sunbathers. Used to park at Torrey
>> > Pines before going to work nearby just to watch the petty thievery. The
>> > squirrels are quite adept at lifting the goods out of an open bag.
>> > Haven't seen them opening bags though.
>>
>> People who live near the ocean have a problem with seagulls
>> snatching cooking steaks right off the grill. Forget about walking
>> away unless you can put the lid down.

> Cool! Haven't seen that yet. Did see a young grey squirrel nick a hot
> dog out of a trash can at a state park. The hot dog was about the length
> of the squirrel. It did get the thing up the tree though. Didn't even
> know squirrels ate meat.

Have you ever seen the video of the squirrel stealing candy from
a vending machine? Hilarious. They have no problem squeezing
through that metal flap and up into the machine.

This isn't the one I'm thinking of but it's the same deal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ3nOxZEe0s

Cracks me up.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:

> Have you ever seen the video of the squirrel stealing candy from
> a vending machine? Hilarious. They have no problem squeezing
> through that metal flap and up into the machine.
>
> This isn't the one I'm thinking of but it's the same deal:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ3nOxZEe0s
>
> Cracks me up.
>
> nancy

Loved it. LOL BTW, a smart squirrel would have chosen a Snickers.

Becca

sf wrote in :

> A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing chips from a
> neighborhood shop.
>
> The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn’t looking, and then walks
> into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
>
> Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.

On vacation last year some friends and myself stopped at the Whoa Nellie
Deli (http://www.thesierraweb.com/tiogagasmart/deli.html - an amazing
place - great food and incredible view - Yosemite and Mono Lake). We
ordered food along with a large piece of carrot cake. As a friend was
carrying a plate of food along with the carrot cake, a seagull wheels out
of the sky and plucks a chunk of the cake, he turns and homes in straight
again for the cake. My friend was able to duck and then put the plate on
the table and used his body to protect the cake. Nearby tables were
rolling with laughter.


--

Charles
The significant problems we face cannot be solved
at the same level of thinking we were at when we
created them. Albert Einstein

On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:38:14 -0000, Charles Quinn
> wrote:

>On vacation last year some friends and myself stopped at the Whoa Nellie
>Deli (http://www.thesierraweb.com/tiogagasmart/deli.html - an amazing
>place - great food and incredible view - Yosemite and Mono Lake). We
>ordered food along with a large piece of carrot cake. As a friend was
>carrying a plate of food along with the carrot cake, a seagull wheels out
>of the sky and plucks a chunk of the cake, he turns and homes in straight
>again for the cake. My friend was able to duck and then put the plate on
>the table and used his body to protect the cake. Nearby tables were
>rolling with laughter.

What are sea gulls doing so far inland (especially in that god
forsaken place)? They need a lot of chutzpah to exist there.
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

sf wrote:
>
> On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:38:14 -0000, Charles Quinn
> > wrote:
>
> >On vacation last year some friends and myself stopped at the Whoa Nellie
> >Deli (http://www.thesierraweb.com/tiogagasmart/deli.html - an amazing
> >place - great food and incredible view - Yosemite and Mono Lake). We
> >ordered food along with a large piece of carrot cake. As a friend was
> >carrying a plate of food along with the carrot cake, a seagull wheels out
> >of the sky and plucks a chunk of the cake, he turns and homes in straight
> >again for the cake. My friend was able to duck and then put the plate on
> >the table and used his body to protect the cake. Nearby tables were
> >rolling with laughter.
>
> What are sea gulls doing so far inland (especially in that god
> forsaken place)? They need a lot of chutzpah to exist there.
> --


LOL clearly they came for the food!

We used to go to a pub outside of Oxford on the Thames (occasional
episodes of 'Morse' were filmed there). The landlord keeps peacocks
including some white ones. One must protect the lunch plate because the
greedy sods (the peacocks not the punters) will steal food right off the
plate.

Arri wrote on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:41:30 -0600:


AL> sf wrote:
??>>
??>> On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:38:14 -0000, Charles Quinn
??>> > wrote:
??>>
??>>> On vacation last year some friends and myself stopped at
??>>> the Whoa Nellie Deli
??>>> (http://www.thesierraweb.com/tiogagasmart/deli.html - an
??>>> amazing place - great food and incredible view - Yosemite
??>>> and Mono Lake). We ordered food along with a large piece
??>>> of carrot cake. As a friend was carrying a plate of food
??>>> along with the carrot cake, a seagull wheels out of the
??>>> sky and plucks a chunk of the cake, he turns and homes in
??>>> straight again for the cake. My friend was able to duck
??>>> and then put the plate on the table and used his body to
??>>> protect the cake. Nearby tables were rolling with
??>>> laughter.
??>>
??>> What are sea gulls doing so far inland (especially in that
??>> god forsaken place)? They need a lot of chutzpah to exist
??>> there. --

AL> LOL clearly they came for the food!

Are they not inhabitants of the Great Salt Lake? Mormon
tradition tells of the end of a plague of locusts in the early
days of settlement when a flock of seagulls ate the insects. The
Mormons regard it a divine miracle.



James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not