Steven Seagael can Fly !

Something remarkable has happened to Steven, my seagull mate of the last 13 months. Regular viewers will be well aware of the story where I fixed his broken wing last year but not good enough to fly. I have tried physiotherapy and making him jump/fly for his food, this to get him to maximise the use of his wings. When this years crop of young gulls invaded the garden over the past few weeks, Steven seemed to get the bug to join them as I chased them out of the garden. He also appeared to have gone off his food and hadn't eaten for days at a time. I figured he was making himself lighter to enable him to fly. He kept running across the grass and occasionally lifting off as he neared the gate, getting higher over the last week . I knew he was getting better because his mended right wing tips were no longer touching the ground when he ran along flapping his wings, he was definitely lifting it higher and no longer shearing the tips off like last year. I was worried about him not eating for days, until I realised he had been catching his own food by way of hunting sparrows ! He stalks under the bushes watching the sparrows carefully, and given a chance to jump up and catch one - he obviously takes it. Today I found a ball of regurgitated bones and feathers which he disgorged on the doorstep ! He also flew from the window cill right across the garden to the gate without any headwind ! It looks like he could be well enough to join the other gulls at the beach sometime soon. He has proved he can hunt, and with a fair wind he maybe able to fly enough to get out of trouble. He has been quite a character with Millie my dog, and he liked me playing with him too. ( short vid clip of a game he likes)