I spend the summers right near the beach of Lake Michigan. This summer I really appreciated gulls at the beach. Most people find them annoying and chase them away, but I began to watch them. They are entertaining in the way they watch the beach looking for spilled crackers or cookies. I noticed that they read people trying to get a sense of who might share a snack and who will chase them away. I also love great blue herons and ruby-throated hummingbirds. They are so different and by watching them feed, I really get to know them. There are the slow, strategic movements of the heron and the quick fluttering of the hummingbirds. Because I feed the hummingbirds on my deck, I feel like I have a special relationship with them. They often hover right in front of my face and I wonder if they are thanking me for the nectar or asking me to refill the feeder.