So, that's Terns,Puffins and Kittiwakes done and dusted. What else happens on the island?
Well there are gulls. Lots of Gulls. Well, maybe not lots in comparison to the total number of birds resident on the island but still enough to reek havoc amongst the rest of the population. Recent estimates put the number of Herring Gulls as 1685 breeding pairs, Lesser Black-backed at 3398. The are producing lots of mouths to feed and these guys are like living with the worst possible neighbours.
The Herring Gull is actually quite a handsome bird but it has some very anti-social habits.
They have been getting some bad press in the UK recently with one national newspaper actually demanding a mass cull after an alleged incident involving a disappearing Chihuahua. Well that particular newspaper hasn't been dubbed "The Scum" without good reason but there are a lot of people who actually agree. Herring Gulls, often referred to as 'seagulls" are now spread right across the UK, both on the coast and inland too. They are extremely resourceful and have learned to adapt to the loss of traditional feeding and have become scavengers on rubbish tips and bins or simply have learnt to beg from seaside holidaymakers eager to feed them. We all know what happens when wild animals associate people with food. It all ends up rather badly.
Anyway, on the Isle of May, a more traditional breeding ground, the Herring Gulls also have a more traditional diet which involves stealing eggs, mugging birds for the catch they have in their bills or stealing chicks.
The Herring Gull isn't enjoying the view in the evening sunshine but plotting a raid.
On a ledge down below a Guillemot chick is being protected by it's parent bird. The Gull flew away but 5 minutes later swooped in at speed to try and knock the adult off the ledge, perhaps the chick too. It failed on this occasion but I have witnessed it happen with a rather different outcome in the past.
You can't blame the Gull really. It's the way they are. The slightly smaller Lesser Black-backed Gull isn't nearly as dense in numbers around the UK but on the Isle of May they outnumber the Herring Gull 2-1. They too take the easy option for food preferring to steel than find their own. They are usually lurking ready to pounce on an unsuspecting Puffin trying to reach it's burrow with a bill full of Sand Eels.They will also take eggs and chicks too.
The Lesser Black-backed Gull is distinguishable from the Great Black-backed not only by size but the colour of it's legs, which also help distinguish it from Herring Gull too.
The Great Black-backed Gull has pink legs.
It's also top of the local food chain. It has no enemies on the Isle of May but it's the enemy of everything else including its cousins.
Here it's being seen off after an attempted raid on the Lesser Black-backed Gull's chicks.
The GBBG is a monster predator and if it wants to it can swallow a whole adult Puffin or reasonable sized Rabbit, maybe even a Chihuahua although there are none on the island. Fortunately there aren't too many GBBG's either. I think perhaps no more than 10 pairs but that is a guess.
The GBBG spends much time just flying around the cliffs looking to strikeout an easy target.
Not a bad life on a nice day!
But it's not always the best of weather so even they don't have it all easy.
TBC
Well there are gulls. Lots of Gulls. Well, maybe not lots in comparison to the total number of birds resident on the island but still enough to reek havoc amongst the rest of the population. Recent estimates put the number of Herring Gulls as 1685 breeding pairs, Lesser Black-backed at 3398. The are producing lots of mouths to feed and these guys are like living with the worst possible neighbours.
The Herring Gull is actually quite a handsome bird but it has some very anti-social habits.
They have been getting some bad press in the UK recently with one national newspaper actually demanding a mass cull after an alleged incident involving a disappearing Chihuahua. Well that particular newspaper hasn't been dubbed "The Scum" without good reason but there are a lot of people who actually agree. Herring Gulls, often referred to as 'seagulls" are now spread right across the UK, both on the coast and inland too. They are extremely resourceful and have learned to adapt to the loss of traditional feeding and have become scavengers on rubbish tips and bins or simply have learnt to beg from seaside holidaymakers eager to feed them. We all know what happens when wild animals associate people with food. It all ends up rather badly.
Anyway, on the Isle of May, a more traditional breeding ground, the Herring Gulls also have a more traditional diet which involves stealing eggs, mugging birds for the catch they have in their bills or stealing chicks.
The Herring Gull isn't enjoying the view in the evening sunshine but plotting a raid.
On a ledge down below a Guillemot chick is being protected by it's parent bird. The Gull flew away but 5 minutes later swooped in at speed to try and knock the adult off the ledge, perhaps the chick too. It failed on this occasion but I have witnessed it happen with a rather different outcome in the past.
You can't blame the Gull really. It's the way they are. The slightly smaller Lesser Black-backed Gull isn't nearly as dense in numbers around the UK but on the Isle of May they outnumber the Herring Gull 2-1. They too take the easy option for food preferring to steel than find their own. They are usually lurking ready to pounce on an unsuspecting Puffin trying to reach it's burrow with a bill full of Sand Eels.They will also take eggs and chicks too.
The Lesser Black-backed Gull is distinguishable from the Great Black-backed not only by size but the colour of it's legs, which also help distinguish it from Herring Gull too.
The Great Black-backed Gull has pink legs.
It's also top of the local food chain. It has no enemies on the Isle of May but it's the enemy of everything else including its cousins.
Here it's being seen off after an attempted raid on the Lesser Black-backed Gull's chicks.
The GBBG is a monster predator and if it wants to it can swallow a whole adult Puffin or reasonable sized Rabbit, maybe even a Chihuahua although there are none on the island. Fortunately there aren't too many GBBG's either. I think perhaps no more than 10 pairs but that is a guess.
The GBBG spends much time just flying around the cliffs looking to strikeout an easy target.
Not a bad life on a nice day!
But it's not always the best of weather so even they don't have it all easy.
TBC
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