by Benjamin Minch, Staff Writer
Most do not take a moment out of their day to observe the amazing phenomena that surround them. Most students at Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) fall into this category. They are so rushed and stressed that they have no time for sitting around between classes or at lunch.
Based on a previous article written “The Birdemic Striking FVHS” student have a negative view towards seagulls because of their aggressiveness and terrorist demeanor. But how can students make such assumptions if they never take time to really study and observe the seagulls?
They can’t, which is why I have taken on the observation task: to show that seagulls are creatures of pure genius, not terror.
My first encounter with the seagulls—Dec. 8, before lunch next to the gym. The three hours leading up to lunch are the seagull’s waiting hours. A full squadron of 37 seagulls sit waiting the edge of the gym’s roof. The first moment students get out of 2nd period, a scout seagull is sent out on a mission. He leaves his post sitting on the gym and flies over the bowl to check if it is lunch, and if they are safe.
Once he is done scouting the area, he returns to the gym and lets out a loud squawk, notifying the other seagulls that it isn’t time to move in. The seagulls on top of the gym then proceed to wait there until the next period gets out.
Once the seagulls see the first glimpse of people leaving their classrooms after 4th period, they send in another scout, this time returning with the go ahead message. Three seagulls then fly over the bowl to spot vulnerable lunch areas with exposed food unguarded by humans. The three then proceed to steal the food. One swoops down in front of the human, letting out a loud squawk to get their attention. The other two then swoop from behind to steal the bag with the food. Pure genius!
After receiving a bag of food, the seagulls again let out a loud cry that causes many seagulls in the area to come around the bag to feast. To prevent the humans from even coming close, they flap their wings viciously and three seagulls will fly overhead and drop their loads on the area like an airstrike.
Comparable to watching a well executed war, this phenomenon would be amazing if you only saw it once, but this happens every day. Every day it is the same routine that these seagulls perform and it is absolutely stunning. I have come to nickname the seagull squadron, Squawk 37 because of the sounds they make when they are about to strike.
Fountain Valley isn’t only home to the smartest students, but also the smartest wildlife that we share the campus with. There is no doubt in my mind that this is not just a coincidence: the birds at FVHS are truly geniuses, a group of distinct animals that are well worth watching between classes.
