A Flock of Seagulls

[River Chatter]

This is very depressing guys.  As a wean watching these gulls fly over my house - must have been upwards of 1000 over about an hour sometimes - I had visions of a mass exodus to Scandanavia of some other far away destination.  Ever the romantic.  :roll:

[Black-Don]

When I was a kid, during winter you would get large flocks of seagulls over Kilsyth and there were no landfill sites around. Don't know whether it was the abundance of shallow marshland type ponds in the area that attracted them  :? .

[Ptinid]

There is a North/South migration that happens around this time of year - although usually later in March. Gulls overwinter and then spread out to find nesting sites, usually returning to the same breeding sites year after year. Juveniles now in their first adult year will also be prospecting for possible colonies to join.

You could be seeing the build up of the southern overwintering population building up in the area. There are certainly a number of large roof roosts in E/K, Hamilton and Cambuslang (biggest is Rolls Royce in E/K, but a fwe others approaching their numbers). By end March most large movements will have stopped and the birds will be starting to build their nests.

[River Chatter]

Interesting Ptinid.  Do the gulls travel south at this time of year or north?  The ones I've seen are travel northwards.

[haresear]

But you're right - they're sh!te and unlistenable now, and will be going on eBay as soon as it's safe for me to sell my own stuff!

I did like this one though... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKFjD28qPwQ&feature=related

I tried to find a live version that was watchable, but couldn't handle the hairdos and the dodgy singing. Still like the song though.

Alex

[Ptinid]

Interesting Ptinid.  Do the gulls travel south at this time of year or north?  The ones I've seen are travel northwards.

Pretty much both. At this time of year, it's just birds trying to find their nests. As I recall, there is a West/East split, but buggered if I can remember (or find my notes) which way round it is!

BTW, nesting now started - deep joy!