SCRATCHPAD
All about seagulls
By LISSA BREWER
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
The sounds of seagulls remind me of
home. Soaring above high cliff s and wading
in fl ocks through refl ective tide pools, these
gray and white birds, while sometimes
obnoxious, are undeniably coastal icons.
Their calls can be heard year-round along
local streets and shores. And the gulls of the
Pacifi c Northwest are a unique variety.
Western gulls, the region’s most abun-
dant residents, are distinctive as the only
species which nests along rocky, rugged
shorelines. They love to be near the sea,
but sometimes venture as much as 100
miles inland. Like other regional varieties,
Western gulls may take up to four years to
reach an adult plumage pattern, changing in
appearance with age.
Because of this, telling them apart from
other gulls may be diffi cult, especially
because some are hybrid species. Because
the Columbia-Pacifi c is home to large colo-
nies of both Western and g laucous-winged
gulls, it’s not uncommon to spot a hybrid
between the two, called an Olympic gull.
Other varieties you might spot, according to
the Oregon Department of Fish and Wild-
life, include the r ing-billed gull, m ew gull,
Thayer’s gull, and Sabine’s gull.
While a gull’s diet mostly consists of
fi sh and marine invertebrates like jelly-
fi sh, they may be better known for their
more adventurous eating habits. These birds
aren’t shy. While they may take fl ight when
approached by a camera, they’re infamous
Lissa Brewer
for mingling with oceanfront diners, fol-
lowing fi shing vessels and stealing sandy
snacks. But be warned, feeding the gulls
isn’t a good idea. They’re highly intelli-
gent birds, and learning to be bold can harm
them.
With a dwindling fear of cars, many are
now getting hit on U.S. Highway 101, and
others are depending on an unhealthy diet.
Coastal residents are also aff ected by water
quality issues resulting from the birds’ eat-
ing habits. So let the gulls eat gourmet —
that is, their own wild caught N orthwest
seafood.
Coast Weekend editor
STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS
ON THE
COVER
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
LISSA BREWER
THURSDAY
MARCH 3
Mary Ann
Gantenbein’s
‘Haystack Rock’
is on display at A
Great Gallery.
Adult
Western gulls
congregate
around a tide
pool in Cannon
Beach.
2022
Art in
Gearhart
CALENDAR COORDINATOR
SARAH SMITH
GALLERIES HOST ART WALK
PAGE 4
ECOLOGY
OF INVASIVE
PLANTS
PAGE 6
CANNING RETURNS
TO ASTORIA
WATERFRONT
PAGE 8
ARTIST
INSPIRED
BY FUNGI
PAGE 9
CONTRIBUTORS
WILLIAM DEAN
ANN DUDLEY
REBECCA LEXA
BARBARA LLOYD McMICHAEL
BRIAN MEDFORD
CHANCE SOLEM-PFEIFER
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© 2022 COAST WEEKEND
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THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 // 3