The Marvels of Xavega

Last winter I was lucky enough to see Xavega being practised on Costa da Caparica Beach in Portugal. This is a traditional Portuguese way for a fishing community to work together to catch fish...and the gulls love it too!
What I really admire about it is that the communities of people work together to catch the fish, and like almost all people who live close to nature they have little fear of the natural world and are in fact surprisingly tolerant of gulls sharing a part of the catch.
At the heart of the current media-hyped nonsense about gulls in towns and cities is a fear which is generated by people becoming more and more divorced from, and disconnected to, nature...which is nothing short of tragedy for nature and for the health and well-being of people.
Just look at these photos...the people completely ignore the gulls...no mass hysteria...just a wonderful natural spectacle to enjoy!
The photos were taken today by Jose Tavares at Torreira Beach, Portugal...and he saw no fewer than eight Guernsey-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls! I just wish I'd been there to enjoy the wonderful spectacle again! 

 

  

 

 

Xavega and Gulls at Torreira Beach, Portugal Today (c) José Tavares