Maria Connolly, a 53-year-old grandmother from Dumbarton, has been spending a “fortune” feeding a seagull she named Joey, who appeared on her windowsill the day after her son Liam moved out six weeks ago. The bird now visits four times a day for fresh fish, and Maria shares videos of their ‘chats’ on TikTok, where viewers have dubbed Joey the “best fed seagull in Scotland”.
Daily feeding routine
Maria feeds Joey six tins of sardines daily for breakfast, dinner, and tea, plus extras like fresh haddock or dried worms from the pet shop. She joked: “He’s costing me a fortune so maybe Morrisons or Asda could sponsor me for sardines.” Her family thinks she is “crazy”, but Maria believes Joey knew she had an empty nest and came to keep her company.
TikTok fame
Maria’s TikTok videos show her chatting with Joey, who sits on her windowsill. In one clip she says: “Well hello there my wee darling. Sorry you’ve not had my undivided attention today son. Yer auld maw’s sorry.” Comments include: “Hi Maria. What would you do if he answered you back?” Maria laughed: “I’d probably bring him in the flat.”
Best fed seagull in the Shire
Maria said: “Folk have said he’s the best fed seagull in Scotland. I don’t know about that, but he’s definitely the best fed one in the Shire. I love it. He’s great company.”
