Field Notes Doug Bell March 8, 1988. Creek Reserve by about 16:30. Met John Smiley, very nice. He had to leave for Monterey right away, but said I could go shoot. I wandered out along the beach creek to the beach, passing beneath the famous "Big Sur Bridge". Several gulls were on the rocks just north of the beach. It was high tide, I scrambled up the cliffs both north + south of the beach but could not get around the cliffs. Went back to the beach & waited. Flock of Black-turkeystones foraging on rocks. Towards sunset I chummmed in a few gulls. My first shot at a sitting bird hit, but it ran into the surf. I tried shooting a second, but missed, then went for the wounded one. A mistake! I should have gone right for the wounded bird. I fired, but it didn't stop the gull - it kept swimming out and out. About 15 min. later I did manage to shoot 2 gulls on the beach (OAB 248-249). I was real worried about the wounded gull. As I was leaving I scanned the ocean-and saw it, floating dead at least 1/4 mile out. What a lesson! I was back in Berkeley by 22:30.