American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 5cy C95 April 19 2010, Ongunquit Beach, Maine. Picture: Dave Hamlin.

See website: The Gulls Of Appledore

C95 was banded as a chick in July of 2006. Its nest was located next to the Shoals Laboratory dining hall (Kiggins Commons). Gulls that nest near the dining hall often become quite habituated because the lab’s students, staff, and faculty walk past their nests at least three times a day for meals and in between meals for drinks and snacks (life is pretty tough out on the island….). One male Great Black-backed Gull, affectionately named “Frank” by one of the island cooks, has nested near the kitchen for several years. He was particularly difficult to trap for banding – every time we’d set out the trap, he’d call to his mate and she would go into it….what a guy…. We finally captured Frank after he snuck into the back door of the kitchen one day. Ha! Take that Frank.