[mou] Gulls in the Twin Cities

[Alt, Mark]

Your timing is good, Heath, for I have just completed a short article on
this subject, in answer to my peers at work asking about the Gulls
overhead each morning and evening.

=20

          At sunset, for more than an hour, people leaving Best Buy's
corporate office in Richfield have only to look up to witness a flight
of thousands of gulls. Lakes Calhoun and Harriet are the roosting spots
of choice for many gulls from all over the metro area.  These birds are
making their way to these lakes in long loose lines that pass by Penn
Avenue and I-494.

          Each year, the gulls begin to make this daily flight in
August.  By late summer, the flock consists of nearly all Ring-Billed
Gulls.  Ring-Billed Gulls are a smaller gull, about the size of a crow.
The flock grows in size through October and peaks at approximately
5,000.  Herring Gulls are 30% bigger than Ring-Billed Gulls and
gradually take over as the majority species.  This pilgrimage continues
through November, until ice forms a solid sheet across both lakes.
Large species of gulls, mostly Herring Gulls, are most often found on
Lake Calhoun and closer to shore.  Smaller gulls, primarily Ring-Billed
Gulls, tend to keep to the middle of the lake.  This means gulls are
more often close to shore on Lake Calhoun and easier to see.  Hence,
gull watchers tend to favor it for checking out the gulls.

          Many other species can also be found in this flock of gulls.
Regular appearances occur for the Franklin's, Thayer's, and Bonaparte's
Gulls.  Glaucous Gulls and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls may be hard to find
elsewhere in the state and have been known to frequent this spot nearly
every year.  Rare Gulls such as the Great Black- Backed, Iceland,
California, and the Glaucous-Winged Gull (a first state record) have
been seen here as well.

          The flock typically begins moving in within one-half hour of
sunset and are often still streaming in an hour after sunset.  Once
settled the gulls preen and settle down to sleep.  The birds can be seen
as dark silhouettes against the reflection of the Twin Cities skyline on
the water. =20

Wind direction and strength determines where the overall flock lands on
the lakes.  For instance, when winds are from the west, the gulls land
closer to the western shore; if from the east, closer to that side.  On
very still days flocks disperse evenly, making it difficult to scan all
the birds from one spot.  Binoculars will help view the gulls, but a
spotting scope is required to get views needed for proper
identification.  The colors and relative darkness of the back, wingtips
and eyes should be seen well to identify most gulls.  Beak and body size
relative to surrounding birds is also vital.  The key is to look for
birds that differ from the birds around them and then work on
determining what they are.  There are many darker immature gulls to sort
through.  Since gulls change their appearance each year of their first
two to four year of life, a good bird identification book such as
Sibley's or National Geographic is needed for reference.

Flocks seek larger deeper lakes for roosting.  Lakes such as Lake
Minnetonka fit this criterion and are also home to gulls roosting
overnight.  Steve Carlson and Paul Budde, members of the Minnesota
Ornithologist's Union, have closely monitored these gull flocks since
the early 1990's.  Paul Budde remarks that if there were no people or
landfills around, the normal migration pattern of the gulls would
probably not include this prolonged stay in Minnesota.  Most of these
gulls come from the Burnsville dump and the Black Dog Power Plant along
the Minnesota River.  Some come from the east and may be seen flying
parallel to Lake Street from the Mississippi River.  One particular
Iceland Gull was observed traveling daily from the Coon Rapids Dam in
Anoka County to Lake Calhoun.

This is one of the more interesting natural phenomena to occur in the
state, and to witness it, (if you are in the right area at the right
time of day), all you have to do is look up   Careful though, for you
may soon find yourself standing there along with us trying to pick out
the single Thayer's Gull among the 3,000 Herring Gulls.=20

=20

Good birding,

=20

Mark Alt, President

Minnesota Ornithologist Union

=20

=20


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From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On
Behalf Of Heath Renner
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 6:55 PM
To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: [MOU] A question about local seagulls

=20

Hello, I have a question about local seagulls in the Twin Cities area.
I am a bit of a novice in birding but I have noticed for a number of
years that seagulls (I am not certain of the particular species) seem to
hang around all year in the Twin Cities suburban areas.  Years ago I
don't remember seeing seagulls at all, in fact, I am not even certain
that I saw them anytime during the year including the summer unless I
was out at a lake.  Am I simply just noticing something I've never
noticed before?  I don't tend to think so, as my uncle who resides in CA
was commenting on how as a kid growing up in Anoka county he never saw
seagulls around at all and now they seem to be everywhere.  Any
information on this? =20

Thank you for your time.

=20

Heath

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