Hundreds of black headed gulls

[FUDGEY]

There is a large field near my work, I'm too great at estimating acreage, but I'd guess it will be around 40 acres(bigger than an averaged sized field) any how I noticed something today that happened about the same time last year. In 2008 there must have been around 700 black headed gulls in this field all day and every day for a 10 day period. Now what I can't get my head round is how can there be enough food is this one field to support so many birds over 10 days? Perhaps at night they flew to the estuary to feed, I don't know if they did, but if this was the case why spend all the daylight hours in this one field? I will keep an eye out to see if the same pattern emerges again this year.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

There is a large field near my work, I'm too great at estimating acreage, but I'd guess it will be around 40 acres(bigger than an averaged sized field) any how I noticed something today that happened about the same time last year. In 2008 there must have been around 700 black headed gulls in this field all day and every day for a 10 day period. Now what I can't get my head round is how can there be enough food is this one field to support so many birds over 10 days? Perhaps at night they flew to the estuary to feed, I don't know if they did, but if this was the case why spend all the daylight hours in this one field? I will keep an eye out to see if the same pattern emerges again this year.

Is the field water logged?

[FUDGEY]

There isn't actually water visible in it, but it is not a dry field if you know what I mean. If you walk over it it's quite squelchy (if that's a word) when you cross it.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

There isn't actually water visible in it, but it is not a dry field if you know what I mean. If you walk over it it's quite squelchy (if that's a word) when you cross it.

I personally would say it was water logged then....

the big field at the top of my road gets water logged during autumn and when it does it becomes home to many black headed gulls, last year it even had a Duck

I think it is probably the bugs and worms they are feeding on.

[FUDGEY]

I figured they would be eating variourls invertebrates, but I am astonished their is enough of them in one field to support 700 odd gulls over 10 days. Thanks for the reply.