Date: 10/22/25 4:59 pm From: Nancy L Newfield via groups.io <nancy...> Subject: Re: [labird] Truly massive increase in gulls at New Orleans Marina - no one remembers there being this many
Elise Read,
There may be more than one answer to your query. First of all, since this
is fall, young birds from the most recent nesting season are certainly
augmenting the numbers we see in spring. Additionally, the Gulf of MEXICO
was much quieter than usual, so there was possibly or probably a higher
than average survivorship among young gulls. I also noticed seemingly
higher than usual numbers during my late spring and summer Causeway
crossings.
I have lived just 1 block from Causeway Boulevard, 2.5 miles south of Lake
Pontchartrain, for the last 55 years and I have kept more or less daily
notes on the birds that I see in the neighborhood all those years. Most
mornings [weather permitting] I sit on the north facing front porch from
before first light until 0745 or 0800. I generally keep a tally using
'clickers' of certain flyovers. The numbers of Laughing Gulls can vary
wildly, but there are noticeable trends. From mid July through late August
numbers were fairly modest . . . 20 or fewer. Then, in September and into
October, numbers gradually grew, to a high of 946 on 9 October. After
that, numbers dropped off to 0 after 11 October. I count only northbound
individuals and cannot account for individuals that might turn around to go
back southward. Of course, I miss some birds when I go indoors to
replenish the cup of coffee. Nevertheless, I have a general idea of what
is going on.
I have not compared this year with previous years, but my impression is
that the 2025 class of Laughing Gulls out-classes recent previous years.
*Titanium Nan*
On Wed, Oct 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM Elise Read via groups.io <readelise=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm hoping a gull expert might be willing to offer an opinion on why we
> have had a biblical increase in the number of laughing gulls in the New
> Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor. The long term residents there have never
> seen this many. The amount of debris on one's boat is daunting.
>
> They showed up about 4 weeks ago. Our working theory is that a couple of
> large shrimp boats have been working near the Causeway and that maybe they
> travel with those boats.
>
> Not that we can do anything about it, but if we had a clue as to why it
> might be happening we can look forward to an ending.
>
> Elise
>
>
>
>
>
>
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
<nancy...>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
