Mary, Alicia, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Courchesne Busy banding two gulls with Facundo, an ornithology intern, observing.
The “Gulls of Appledore” banding team is concluding a busy and productive week at Shoals Marine Lab on Appledore Island. Field readable bands were placed on more than 50 gulls, both Herring Gulls and Great-Black-backed Gulls. More than 500 sightings of banded gulls from prior years were recorded on Appledore Insland.
Students learned first-hand about field work and the challenge of proper recording, flagging nests, and record keeping. They also learned that catching gulls is hard work requiring patience, care and ingenuity. Student volunteers were from Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Maine.
GBBG chicks started hatching this week.
Herring Gull nesting on Appledore Island
The Gulls Of Appledore 
Have the GBBGs been giving you any problems? They seem to be stronger, cleverer and far more aggressive than other gulls…
See the helmets the team wears. Yes GBBGs are more aggressive and more difficult to work with than HERGs.