Viewing gulls at the Isles of Shoals

Gull lives are a constant struggle

Jim Cerny, story and photographs

Even though I grew up in the Seacoast and was familiar with the sight and sound of gulls, I had never truly experienced gulls until seeing them during breeding season on Appledore Island. They take over the island, nesting everywhere. And they are very protective of their nests and chicks, so that visitors are well-advised to carry a gull stick to hold overhead, to serve as a target for the gull instead of the top of your head. I also had never realized that there are two similar species of gulls in the area — the common herring gull (Larus argentatus) with its gray and white coloration, but also the great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) which I'd never seen on the mainland. The black-backs are aggressive and impressive birds, larger than the herring gulls, black instead of gray, with white splashes on their wingtips that are sometimes called "mirrors."  When seen close-up, they have a red rim around their eyes.


A herring goal soaring at the Shoals.



A black-back that is clearly not intimidated.



A black-back with wings spread. Note the identifying white on the wing tip, what is sometimes called a "mirror".



A pair of herring gulls.


It is not clear how many gulls were at the Shoals when European fishermen first arrived. Archeological work on Smuttynose by Nate Hamilton shows an early mix of gull bones and lead shot, then very few gulls. Gulls and fish drying flakes would not co-exist well; on small islands, like the Shoals, it would be easy to wipe out the gulls in a short time with hunting and egg destruction. In the 1800s gulls were nearly eliminated in many areas due to hunting for their feathers. We can infer this was true also at the Shoals, as there are very few references to gulls in Celia Thaxter's writing and poetry (just 15 references in her five major published works).

The Migratory Bird Act of 1918 saved the gulls and many other species. In recent times, the number of gulls has increased with access to land fills as a food source. For example, hundreds of gulls make the trip every day to the large Turnkey Landfill in Dover, concentrating in a flyway that takes them seaward and over the "Miracle Mile" malls in Dover just before sunset.

Appledore and Smuttynose Islands combine substantial area with the least human activity and have large numbers of gulls. On Star Island the gulls are concentrated on the southern half, away from the intensive human visitor/conference activities at the northern end where the hotel and village are located. On Lunging Island the bald southern hump, separated from the housing on the northern end by a tomobolo, is dominated by a colony of double-breasted cormorants. Seavey and White Islands are part of a tern restoration project and non-lethal means are used to discourage gulls from nesting there.


Clutch of two gull eggs. Many birds lay three eggs.



An empty, discarded egg shell.


The mortality rate on gull chicks and young gulls is high, with perhaps one-third becoming adults. Juveniles have the distinctive mottled coloring for several years. Gulls don't breed until 4-5 years old and can live over 20 years. Chicks induce the adults to regurgitate food by pecking at the red spot on the adult beak.


Herring gull guarding two chicks (small puffs of gray in the grass).



Gull chick venturing into the open where danger lurks.



Juvenile gull losing its chick down and developing feathers.



Herring gull chick demanding to be fed.



Black-back adult and juvenile.



Juvenile on ledge near the water.



Juvenile gull swimming.


Gull lives are a constant struggle over territory and food, with chicks subject to predation by other gulls.


Two herring gulls fighting.



An assertive herring gull.



A black-back gull nesting in the grass and panting for heat regulation on a hot day. Note the distinctive red eye ring.


Most of the rocks and ledges that gulls rest on are nameless, but sometimes they settle on objects with meaning to humans and that are picturesque.


There is a good chance of catching this view of a herring gull settled on a rock cairn on Star Island with White Island Lighthouse in the distance (some foreshortening due to the camera lens).



Herring gull on a favored perch atop the gravestone of Oscar Laighton in the Laighton Cemetery on Appledore.



A black-back resting on a sailboat cabin (on dry land).


We tend to ignore the deaths of gulls, and birds in general, because the feathers and bones are quickly gone.

Gulls at the Shoals provide an interesting perspective on humans and our views of nature. For example, we can readily see that without high mortality the gulls would quickly overpopulate breeding areas like the Shoals. But we resist thinking of the human population on the Earth as also facing habitat limits.


Freshly dead black-back on a ledge.



A dead juvenile in the grass, starting to decompose.



Feathers and bones of what appears to be a dead juvenile.


For more information on gulls, see the excellent book Gulls of Smuttynose Island. The 62 pages are full of black and white photographs by the famous photographer Ozzie Sweet, with narration by Jack Denton Scott. The book, published in 1977, is out of print but readily available from libraries and the usual online used book sources. Rye Public Library files it as J/598/SCO — while typically classified as a book for juveniles it is really for all ages, as stated by the publisher on the dust jacket!

For reports by active gull researchers, see Julie Ellis's information page about research on gulls, calling them raucous harbingers. And see her blog for sightings of banded gulls at The Gulls of Appledore Island.


Herring gulls scrambling for bread scraps in the wake of the "Uncle Oscar" with Star Island in the background.




See these related Rye Reflections articles on gulls or the Isles of Shoals:



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July, 2010



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