Gulls disappearing?

[Wild-Woman]

I expect this may be local but I've noticed over the years,the decline in populations of gulls.
A couple of decades ago, gulls of several species, were always present on school fields, open farmland and of course scavenging on landfill sites.
Not now -not here anyway.
When I was at school in the 70's, the school field, especially after break, was covered in gulls once we were called in. They obviously knew there would be rich pickings from spilt crisps and snacks. I can recall on many an occasion, the upper windows of the school building being struck by gulls.
Ploughed fields were always covered, now you're lucky to see a dozen.
Has anyone else noticed the drop-off of these once plentiful birds?

[Kev-B]

There certainly seem to be as many as ever where I live .. on the NE. Lincolnshire coast ... which I would expect ..

But I was in Gloucester recently & have never seen so many Gulls .. I noticed that unlike most City Centres, which have anti-Pigeon netting on buildings .. in Gloucester .. it's anti-Gull netting .. with many shops displaying signs asking the public not to feed them ...

They are literally everywhere they can find a perch or nesting site ... & have spread out even into the suburbs ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[Gaza]

Doesn't appear to be a shortage here on the coast, in West Sussex, Wild-Woman
Most of our neighbours constantly moan about them

[aeshna5]

A complicated picture- Herring Gull has shown nationally a substantial decline, yet many urban areas have seen a big increase in large gull numbers. Lesser Black-backs were mainly summer visitors but many now stay year round + are increasing.

Possibly milder winters will see less gulls wintering here from northern +eastern Europe.

[tameblackbirds]

[quote=Wild-Woman;354038]When I was at school in the 70's, the school field, especially after break, was covered in gulls once we were called in.

i work in a school and have also noticed this decline and it has been since we became a 'healthy school' no crisps or biscuits etc dropped in playground that they swooped down to clear up

[Kayleigh]

In the winter we get lots of black back gulls on the open fields around Towcester.

[Jason Green]

I notice a drop in gulls each year around the breeding season in Urban areas. They slowly build up from October, peak in December + January and tail off by spring when they return to the coast to breed. They are predominantly Black-headed's, Commons, occasional Herrings with a Black-back during peak.

I then see Lesser Black-backs during the late summer/early autumn - my favourites

Year-on-year though they seem to actually spend less time at the coast and more time in my area than they did three years back. They would only seem to be occasional singular adults during spring-early summer, now I often see some overhead during the warmer months - I saw a group of 30 BHd's chasing flying ants a while back!! This may too be a more local thing, though.

[Badgerman]

The only time you will gull populations decrease, is after the demise of us humans.....afterall, it is our actions as to why that certain species now breed and feed within our city centres