Son of Salty ?

With the forthcoming ward forum meeting coming up, I think the Son of Salty wants to influence the debate. Over the past 10 days or so I noticed a lone seagull sitting close to the river wall day after day and being unattended by any adult bird. Two days ago when the high tides started I noticed it stuck at the edge of the riverbank flapping it's wings feebly trying to get onto the dry grass, it was soaked through and unable to escape the water. I could not resist the urge to help it out and pulled it free from the grass and weeds that were preventing it's escape.

It was in a sorry state and resembled a young vulture, and it was trembling with cold and very weak. I was kindly given some paper towels by a harbour street resident and started to dry it off, it was too weak even to peck me! It appeared to have no water resistance on the feathers at all. After I used all the paper towels I gave it some food, and it was starving . I put it over the wall at the seamans hall so it would'nt get attacked by any dogs, and went home hoping it would rally round by the afternoon.
I think either the parent has been killed or it has been abandoned.

Later that day I went back down to see if it survived and it appeared a lot perkier and drier and was flapping it's wings. I put it back down onto the river grass verge hoping it would join the other young gulls and maybe take off. Yesterday I did not see it and thought it may have revived enough to join others. Today was a repeat of two days ago and it was again caught by the high tide, sodden and weak and struggling at the side of the river bank. I know nature is cruel and I considered just walking away, but when I saw the feeble flapping I had to do something !

I got wet feet yet again and took it home this afternoon, I dried it off again, gave it some grub and let it have a good drink from millie's water bowl, she didn't mind a bit. I shall keep it for a few days until these exceptional high tides recede and hopefully it will have bulit up enough strength to survive. Remember folks this is an exceptional circumstance so dont go accusing me of feeding the gulls etc !!

Update at 10pm: After 8 hours our gallant young gull has finally dried out and had a sleep. It has eaten some mackerel and fresh pollock and started to preen itself, I am hoping it will waterproof it's feathers and then I can return it to the river. (see short video.)