Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-28
SEA FOWL IN A STORM.
HUNDREDS OF BIRDS KILLED
IN EVERY GALE.
They Dread the Fury OF &C. ocean Worse
Than the Sailor Does - Clinging
for Hours to Floating
Bits of Wreck.

ny toward some point OF lana 10
escape the danger The few which
are caught in the storm, far from the
land make the wild screaming OF the
storm more horrible by their piteous
cries and excited calls. Washed
hither and thither by the relentless
storm they fly around in hopeless
search for some harbor OF retreat
Should the light OF some passing
vessel or the flash light OF some warn
ing lighthouse attract their attention.
they are lured on TO a danger far
greater than that experienced from
the waves and winds.
Storms do notalways warn tho birds
in time to permit them to reach the
shore. The terns petrels gulls
ducks and other sea fowl may bs far
from shore Swimming over the water
in graceful sweeps when coast storm
suddenly comes out Of the northwest
AT the first sign OF such change in
the weather the birds invariably seek
some harbor of safety but if the storm
shuts them out from the coast they
are forced TO fly around in fOclSs until
accident leads them to u retreat sea
fowl at such times flock together and
u lost compeny may number thou
sand. representing Heterogeneous
collection of all the species OF st
birds.
such motley collections frequently
dash against the Lighthouse Of some
exposed point according to the De-
troit Free Press where hundreds are
l. H., Il.
ers serve as an allurement for them
and they follow the light OF the vessel
as moth does the candle light II
not attracted by any light the birds
fly around until exhauste by their
eNertious or until the storm apates
During prolonged storms thousands
OF lost sea fowl are dest Dyed upon
the oceac through their inability to
reach land or TO outride the furious
gales. While large proportion OF
the flock would eventually succumb
to the fury of the wind and waves
there are many others that would
show their marvellous powers in out
riding the storm.
n To fly against gale that is blow
ing ut the rate OF forty or fifty miles
an hour would require bones OF iron
and muscles OF steel and the lost
birds very rarely succeed in holding
their own ia such storm. They
buffet with the gale bravely, circling
around and around TO make boa way
against IT. but in time they are swept
far out to sea. The waves offer no
resting place for them and they are
forced to trust entirely to their wings
for safety. After heavy storms of
seve al days the terms and pclrels
nave been found Il thousand miles
from the shore weak and almost dead
from their exertions.
Others have been discovered lloat.
ing on the water dead tue black and
blue patches on their bodies telling
the terrible story OF strain and hope
less exertlor, They fought bravely
against the adverse elements and
only succumbed after long battle.
Incoming vessels have brought soli-
tary sea fowl that would light upon
the masts OF the ships when com
pletely exhausted after fighting
against the storms. Ihis welcome
place OF rest is secured despite all
danger from tho passengers
Floating spars and wrecks have
been the means of saving the lives of
such lost birds. They would float on
them for hours or days until they be-
came thoroughly rested from their
iabors and then they would begin
their long journey 10 some shore at
the first favorable opportunity. Their
instinct ut such times is unerring. AID
they generally mako for the nearest
point OF land although it may be hun
dreds OF miles away and they are
completely turned around. 1t may
be, however that they take their
bearings from the sun while they are
floating upon their temporary restless
buoys.
Nearly all OF the sea birds like to
keep out to sea. and in the north OF
ireland there ls an old rhyme current
which indicates that the gulls only
approach the shore when driven in
by a storm or by the warnings OF n
heavy gale. The couplet reads:
Sea gull sal gull, ST on the sand;
It's never fine weather when you como 10
land.
|
long. sharp whistling OF the curlews,
the wild cries OF the soagulls and the
sharp piercing screams OF the terms
announce that danger is at hand.
The sea grows restIe and ehoppy.
An occasional puff OF wind will moan
across the water and force whitecaps
, into motion. The birds then assemble
along the shore some seeking for
their food among the rocks half a
mile out, while others will run along
the beach or go to the inland marshes
As the fury OF the storm increases
all of them will get in beyond the
reach OF the wild waves. The heavy
wind makes flying a difficult art and
most Of them trust 10 their legs
They run along the sarl or hide in
the rocks. The terms and gulls will
occasionally venture over tle waves
10 fish for fool but they soon find
that the work is unpro6table
When the storm has subsidized the
: coasts are great b,ects OF interest TO
|