Description
38 days with the gulls of the Medes Islands
Book Summary
An intimate and passionate diary that chronicles the author's experience living for 38 days on the Medes Islands to study the colony of yellow-legged gulls. Through personal notes and a photographic journal, Marc Bosch Mestres shares the discoveries and emotions of a unique coexistence with wildlife, the landscape, and the extreme conditions of the island. Beyond scientific research, the book offers a human and sensitive look at nature, the passage of time, and the transformation of a fragile ecosystem. A work that combines observation, reflection, and a love for the territory.
What is it about?
In mid-March 1992, the author settled on the Medes Islands with the goal of studying the gulls. Aware that his stay would be extended, he decided to write a diary to record the experiences, emotions, and discoveries he would make day after day. Accompanied by collaborators like Vittorio and Anna, his life intersected with the island's inhabitants: the gulls, the night herons, the jackdaws, the mice, and even the stink bugs. The diary reflects the gaze of a recent graduate, convinced that there is nothing more exciting than his research, and who is permeated every day by the secrets the islands reveal to him. The epilogue, written three decades later, analyzes the changes in the gull colony, the site's reforms, and population management, offering a valuable temporal perspective.
Main themes
- Observation and study of gull behavior on the Medes Islands.
- Life in isolation and coexistence with wildlife.
- Impact of the passage of time on a protected island ecosystem.
- Reflection on scientific research from a personal and emotional perspective.
- Landscape transformation and seabird colony management.
Who is it recommended for?
For nature lovers, ornithologists, and wildlife researchers, as well as readers interested in travelogues and immersive experiences in natural environments. It is also an ideal read for anyone wanting to get a closer look at the reality of the Medes Islands and their evolution over the last few decades.
What this book offers
- A direct and personal account of life on the Medes Islands, rarely accessible to the casual visitor.
- A detailed vision of gull behavior and their relationship with the environment.
- A reflection on scientific research and the emotional connection to the subject of study.
- A unique temporal perspective thanks to the epilogue that analyzes changes over three decades.
- A photographic journal that complements the experiences narrated in the diary.
Technical specifications
- Author: Bosch Mestres, Marc
- Publisher: Cossetania
- Language: Catalan
- Topic: Diaries, letters and logs; Fauna: birds and birdwatching
- Collection: La Mandràgora
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: February 2024
- Number of pages: 168
- Weight: 272 g
Editorial review
An honest and well-documented diary that combines a passion for scientific research with intimate and emotional writing. The author succeeds in conveying the magic of living in a privileged natural environment, while offering relevant data on the ecology of the gulls. The epilogue, with the perspective of time, adds value for those who want to understand the evolution of a protected area like the Medes Islands. Recommended for readers looking for authentic readings with soul.