This happened when I was 8 years old.

Our family used to holiday at a little place named Encounter Bay every Christmas for around two weeks. I loved it.

My favorite activity was to walk along the shore line climbing on the rocks, skipping stones etc.

Anyway, one night after dinner I went for a walk. It was daylight savings so it didn't get dark until around 8.30pm. Probably wasn't more than 300 yards or so from the place we were staying in.

Just near some boulder sized rocks I saw this poor seagull being attacked by a large group of other seagulls. The poor thing was kinda sitting in a nesting fashion and the other gulls were pecking the crap out of it. To an 8 year old the noise the attacking gulls were making was a little scary. The gull being attacked was trying to peck back but was clearly overwhelmed.

So, I picked up a rock. My intention was to throw the rock at the large boulder, which would scare the attacking gulls away. I had a reasonable arm for an 8 year old. So, I launch the rock as hard as I could. Unfortunately I hit the gull that was being attacked right in the noggin. It sort of did a slow roll to the side. The other gulls then continued to peck the shit out of it.

I walked home crying.