Everyone pretty much knows about seagulls. They are a quirky bunch. Can't ever quite predict their next move.

I will always recall the time we took some out of town visitors to what was then “Lobstermen's Co-op” on the East side of the harbor, for a wonderful picnic table meal outside on the pier overlooking the water. One of our favorite things to do with guests. We even got to enjoy a little break in the action, and become tourists.

We placed our orders ... “Number 31, your order is ready” ... and then picked them up as required, over by the steaming shed. Chips, fries and a Coke, mandatory sides.

Well, we forgot to tell our friends to be aware of dive bombing food snatchers, and sure enough, with no warning, from 12 o'clock high, a random gull made a precision run at an unguarded plate of food, leaving only the remnants of a substantial meal.

Our friends freaked, of course, and immediately ordered a burger and fries to take out, then hid. They were really pretty good about “losing their lunch” but somewhat unhappy with the hysteria that accompanied the raid.

I used to annoy many local acquaintances with stories about the gulls at the dump who'd forage much of the day on open trash, then cruise on over to Adams Pond (our public water supply) to rinse off and more. That bit of info never made me the life of the party.

I read the book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull" somewhere along the way, as I'm sure many have, and chose the road less traveled — becoming more curious about out fine feathered friends. The seagull personality emerged. Graceful soaring, flocks around returning fishing boats, perching atop red roofed boat sheds, squawking at us for a bit of food, preening on the rocks at Ocean Point and posing for people like me along the shore.

Something about the sound of the gull cry that always reminds me of here. Just be sure to put a guard on the grill when cooking outside. Gulls are incredible food detectors and they're quick little buggers.

Gotta go. Couple burgers on the grill!