Synopsis

Every spring, approximately thirty thousand black-tailed gulls gather to nest near a shrine in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Known as *umineko*, or "sea cats" for their distinctive cries, the birds create a striking spectacle as they wheel and soar overhead. Among those who came to the shrine were an American woman residing in Aomori with her visiting family; an elderly man who delights in conversing with the birds; and locals who cherish these feathered signs of the season's renewal. For three