Banded Herring Gull (K12)
- Chao Wu
- Apr 15, 2017
- 2 min read
I noticed the green band on this adult Herring Gull (Larus argentatus smithsonianus) out in Revere when I was taking a break from studying to go chase for a few Manx Shearwaters on April 8th, 2017. After I got back I submitted the number. Bill Clark, one of the many wonderful volunteers at the Gulls of Appledore replied to my submission with some information about this bird: "K12 is a female Herring Gull banded July 11, 2011 as a chick at a nest on Appledore Island in Maine. K12 is of special interest among the thousands of gulls banded on Appledore since reports place her in Florida during her first year but now has returned to New England." Sightings of this bird: 07/11/11 Herring Gull BANDED AS CHICK on APPLEDORE ISLAND, Maine. DNA=female Nest 11H19 'A'Chick 01/02/12 Fort Myers Beach, Florida 02/15/12 Fort Myers Beach, Florida 5/10/2015 Appledore Island Maine (Babbs Rock) 5/21/2015 Appledore Island Maine (Dorm 2) 4/08/2017 Revere Beach, MA -----------------------------------------------
K12 and another HERG sharing a meal. Probable mate?
Feeding from a bivalve.
Competition on the beach (Adult Herring Gull in far background and an immature Great Black-backed Gull directly behind K12)
It really is incredible to see how a bird in born in New England flew all the way to Florida, only to return years later! It also shows how average folks like me can still contribute to bigger projects in science simply by doing a walk on the beach! I'm honored to have been able to help out in the wonderful work, especially of a species so maligned by people in society. It'll be interesting to see where K12's wings and pugnacious demeanor will bring her to next! Other Info: Pretty much any Herring Gull along the East Coast with a green band and a letter+number designation is one which was tagged on Appledore Island off of the coast of Maine/New Hampshire. Dr. Julie Ellis who is now at Tufts University started the project back in 2004 for her PhD research.
You can learn more about the work being done here: https://gullsofappledore.wordpress.com/
Special thanks to Bill Clark and Dr. Julie Ellis for the information, kind words, and fast responses!
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