Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
(last update: July 12, 2015)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 1cy-5cy, August 2011 - July 2015, Sandy Point - Plum Island, Ipswich, MA.
Banded as pullus on Appledore Island, Maine on July 12 2011. Visit Appledore's BLOG.
A recent study used satellite data for Cory’s and Balearic shearwaters to analyze their movement patterns during foraging trips. In general, foraging trips lasted less than two days and covered distances anywhere from 10 to 1,000 kilometers. On days when local fisheries were not operating, the birds combined local searching with searching over very large distances. This “multi-scale” search pattern is efficient when the birds are looking for their natural prey, small fish and squid, which are highly mobile and unpredictably distributed in space and time. In contrast, on days when fishermen were discarding fish, the birds performed more limited, local searches focused around the boats. Thus, fishery activities dramatically altered foraging patterns of these pelagic seabird species. So, the next time you hear someone “trash talking” (so to speak) gulls for their scavenging ways, you can direct them to our friends the shearwaters!
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 4th cycle (5CY), July 07 2015, Sandy Point Reservation - Plum Island, Ipswich, MA. Picture: Billy Clifford.
Each report of a banded gull has significance for the Gulls of Appledore research team. Some well-known gulls frequent the Plum Island/Parker River NWR/Sandy Point area of Massachusetts. 5T9 is a frequent visitor at Sandy Point/Plum Island, and was also reported and photographed by Clifford on July 7, 2015. Dave Adrien also recently reported 5T9 on July 3, 2015 at Sandy Point.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 4th cycle (5CY), May 28 2015, Sandy Point Reservation - Plum Island, Ipswich, MA. Picture: Dan Prima.
Adult-like bird with brown hue on some of the coverts. Pale iris.
In display.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 3cy, June 29 2013, Sandy Point Beach - Plum Island. Picture Stef Pav.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 2cy, September 01 2012, Sandy Point Beach - Plum Island. Picture: Suzanne Sullivan.
P7 fully grown, no old primaries left.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 2cy, August 26 2012, Sandy Point Beach - Plum Island. Picture: Steve Arena.
P7 fully grown, no old primaries left.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 2cy, July 04 2012, Sandy Point Beach - Plum Island. Picture: Suzanne Sullivan.
1st PB moult. P8-P10 old juvenile, P1-P5 replaced. P6-P7 growing.
below: Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 5T9 1cy, August 27 2011, Sandy Point Beach - Plum Island. Picture: Suzanne Sullivan.
Completely juvenile plumage.
