Seagulls.............In Sheffield?

Bellycaster

This year I am hearing a lot of Seagulls where I live in Sheffield, since around May time. If they aren't Seagulls then they sound exactly the same and having lived all my life in Sheffield, I have never heard such a bird here before, I would have noticed it, just like I have this year.

Now, I'm yet to catch glimpses of said Birds, but the sound is exactly the same as being by the sea, shouldn't have bothered going away this year, I could've saved some cash and had the same ambience. Sheffield is slap bang in the bloody middle between East and West Coasts for gawd sakes.

Any Ornithologist one 'ere

Funkfingers

Too many gulls for my liking have abandoned sourcing their food at sea and have taken to scavenging from refuse bins, tips or divebombing tourists for chips. 

merlin

They go wherever there's food and can easily abandon water. They're very adaptable, prefer to breed high up but can ditch that preference if they can see what's coming and have an advantage when it comes to defending their nests.

Between breeding they can move a huge distance from their breed g grounds in search of food, often spending weeks on a large figure-of-eight cycle in search of good grub.

They are prehistoric. 

skunkwerx

Same around here actually. Definite increase in the last year. 

Gagaryn

merlin said:

They go wherever there's food and can easily abandon water. They're very adaptable, prefer to breed high up but can ditch that preference if they can see what's coming and have an advantage when it comes to defending their nests.

Between breeding they can move a huge distance from their breed g grounds in search of food, often spending weeks on a large figure-of-eight cycle in search of good grub.

They are prehistoric. 

They go wherever there is kebab shops. It's a nightmare for their digestion - my car paint is a testimony to that.

not_the_dj

My 7 year old will proudly tell you that there’s no such thing as a “seagull”, probably herring or common gulls I assume.

We used to get them eating crisps from the playground at school in the midlands, and any dump/tip will attract the scavengers. 

Funkfingers

merlin said:

They're very adaptable

The oil refinery where I used to do contract work had a roof-mounted plastic bird scarer, in the shape of a raptor, that periodically emitted a hawkish squawk.

The gulls would express their contempt for the scarer by sitting on top of it and leaving a deposit.

skunkwerx

not_the_dj said:

My 7 year old will proudly tell you that there’s no such thing as a “seagull”, probably herring or common gulls I assume.

We used to get them eating crisps from the playground at school in the midlands, and any dump/tip will attract the scavengers. 

But there is this.... 

Veganic

There have been seagulls inland for as long as I can remember.
The time of year and the species seems to have changed over the years.
Black-headed gulls seemed to be the most common all year round 30 years ago.  These seem to have been displaced by larger species like herring and black backs. They have even scared the crows from their pylon nesting site.

Winter visitor to icy lakes were common.  One year we even had a rumour of an Icelandic gull on a local lake/pond.  

That's my not very scientific take on the subject.




Anyone seen many Lapwings?

Bellycaster

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming in from the East coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

Moominpapa

not_the_dj said:

My 7 year old will proudly tell you that there’s no such thing as a “seagull”, probably herring or common gulls I assume.

7 year old is correct: there are just various types of gulls. You'll see them wherever there is food.

breakstuff

Bellycaster said:

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming from the east coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

If you lived in Skegness for most of the year you'd go anywhere on holiday.

scrumhalf

We've had them here in north London for a few years. Noisy buggers.

Bellycaster

breakstuff said:

Bellycaster said:

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming from the east coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

If you lived in Skegness for most of the year you'd go anywhere on holiday.

Probably not Sheffield though, I saw a group of Rats the other day looking at a Chesterfield A-Z.

EricTheWeary

Funkfingers said:

Too many gulls for my liking have abandoned sourcing their food at sea and have taken to scavenging from refuse bins, tips or divebombing tourists for chips. 

At least post Brexit we’ll be able to stop any more coming from the sea. 

Snap

Bellycaster said:

breakstuff said:

Bellycaster said:

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming from the east coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

If you lived in Skegness for most of the year you'd go anywhere on holiday.

Probably not Sheffield though, I saw a group of Rats the other day looking at a Chesterfield A-Z.

ha ha!

We are in Dore, used to be in Ecclesall, had gulls around and about for a while.

EricTheWeary

Pigeons on the streets of London
Seagulls on the streets of Sheffield
I wonder to myself could life ever be sane again? 

57Deluxe

when??

Bellycaster

Snap said:

Bellycaster said:

breakstuff said:

Bellycaster said:

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming from the east coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

If you lived in Skegness for most of the year you'd go anywhere on holiday.

Probably not Sheffield though, I saw a group of Rats the other day looking at a Chesterfield A-Z.

ha ha!

We are in Dore, used to be in Ecclesall, had gulls around and about for a while.

No way, Dore is way too posh for Gulls.

Rocker

I thought that Sheffield is a long way from Brighton and Hove Albion FC.....

Snap

Bellycaster said:

Snap said:

Bellycaster said:

breakstuff said:

Bellycaster said:

Yep, I know they do go inland to Tips etc, but as I said in the OP. I have never heard any in Sheffield. I expect they are normally more common in Doncaster and anywhere east of that. I'm assuming these Seagulls in Sheffield will be coming from the east coast rather than the West.

Someone mentioned Kebab Shops, I think you've cracked it there. They are multiplying exponentially

If you lived in Skegness for most of the year you'd go anywhere on holiday.

Probably not Sheffield though, I saw a group of Rats the other day looking at a Chesterfield A-Z.

ha ha!

We are in Dore, used to be in Ecclesall, had gulls around and about for a while.

No way, Dore is way too posh for Gulls.

I think its the quails eggs and caviar we leave out for the riff raff.