Every spring, when I return to the house on Hamarøy, there is usually an old friend waiting for me on the very first day to welcome me back — something this gull has done for more than 20 years.

The gull is a herring gull with a stiff foot, easy to recognize and remarkably trusting. After only a few days, I can feed it fresh fish fillet straight from my hand, something I have done for many years.

I have often wondered how it manages through the long, dark winters up here in the north, but it seems to have survived remarkably well throughout all these years.

The oldest confirmed herring gull in Norway reached the impressive age of 35 years, so my stiff-footed friend may still have many good years ahead of it.

Gull that Has Been a Friend for Over 20 Years

Every spring, when I return to the house on Hamarøy, there is usually an old friend waiting for me on the very first day to welcome me back