This is the third year I’ve been harbouring an obsession with nesting gulls. For the previous two years, I was lucky enough to be managing without full-time work, and so was able to check up on the gulls at least twice a week.
Working full time, I’m at the mercy of weekends and holidays, so I only end up walking the entire route on Sundays. Why not Saturdays? Saturdays I volunteer at the Vancouver Avian Research Centre banding birds, and I’m barely exaggerating by saying it is the light that gets me through the week.
Yesterday it struck me that much of my recent frustration comes from being relegated to weekly visits of these birds. Monitoring these nests probably seems like a strange form of birding to many of you, and I guess you’re right. I’m not spotting any rarities or ending the day with a massive list on eBird… despite that, having the opportunity to watch these “seagulls” live their daily lives – lives as vivid, meaningful, and real as ours – there is something profound and numinous in it that I don’t find anywhere else.
Lots to get through, let’s begin…
Culinary Nest
At approximately three weeks old, the chicks at Culinary Nest are the oldest chicks we’re watching. Take a peek at the photo from last week and note how much they’ve changed.
Culinary Nest chicks
Here’s a photo of all three chicks exploring the balcony they were born on.
Restaurant Nest
Still no sign of chicks at this nest, although the vegetation is seemingly overtaking the nest.
After seeing this, I started wondering if there’s been any research done on the ecology of rooftop flora – not the intentional ‘green roofs’ that get built, but the species that manage to expand and grow in what must be an extremely challenging environment. I suspect most of the species are invasive, or at least introduced.
If anyone out there knows of any papers or websites about this, let me know! (my email is in the sidebar)
Grassy Nest
When I first arrived at this nest, I only saw one chick, but the second and third soon popped up from shade behind the ledge.
Chimney Nest
Apparently no chicks yet? Or perhaps there are, but they’re resting under the wings of their parent? It’s hard to tell from the limited views. I’m certain we’ll see chicks on the next visit, though.
Engineer Nest
An adult gull was nearby keeping watch, and I had to spend a little time searching the roof for the chicks. But I found them – three little ones napping together.
Pyramid Nest
On this visit to Pyramid Nest I was able to verify that one of the parents is a banded gull I’ve seen previously near this location. And while I suspect many of the nesting gulls are the same gulls I’ve seen previous years, this gull will let me know for certain I’m seeing the same one in years to come.
Crossfit Nest
Last week I was only able to spy two chicks at this location, but this visit they were in a more exposed area – so we know there are three now.
Design Nest
Another mediocre photo from this nest – I am eager for these chicks to get older and start wandering around so I can photograph them. Looks like we’ve still got two chicks and one unhatched egg. At this point, I don’t think we’ll be seeing it hatch.
Cambie Nest
I write about the nests in a fairly arbitrary order, based mostly on whim – but in the reality of my route, Cambie Nest is always the final nest I visit. It was quite warm by the time I arrived and the chick was doing it’s best to stay hidden in the shade.
When I took this photo, something had caught both the chick and adult’s attention. I thought it might be the other parent coming home with food. I waited a while more, but mom or dad didn’t show up, and I left to make my way home.
Brewery Nest
No chicks yet that I can tell – although the wings maybe look outstretched? Perhaps there are young ones hidden underneath?
Umbrella Nest
AKA I can’t see a damn thing nest.
You’ve heard it before – the adult is off the nest and keeping watch from nearby. You know that means that the chicks have hatched. They’re hidden away in the shade somewhere, but your guess is as good as mine as to where. We’ll probably have to wait a few week before we see the fledglings wandering around.
Fountain Nest
Difficult views and a blurry photo, but we’ve got at least two chicks at this nest.
Clipper Nest #1
The Clipper Nests are the first nests on my route (the south end of the Cambie Street Bridge), and it took me a while to find the chicks this time around. I’m assuming these are the chicks from the Clipper Nest #1, which we saw near the cinder blocks last week.
They’re now positioned at the far east of the rooftop – while the Clipper Nest #2 chicks seem to have moved to the furthest western point of the building.
Is this an instinctual behaviour, given that a majority of mortality among chicks is due to territorial defence? (PS: you know about sci-hub, right?)
Clipper Nest #2
When I was taking this photo, I didn’t even see the chick’s head poking up above the ledge… I was simply trying to get a photo of the adult off the nest as evidence the chicks were around.
Are there more chicks? I only spotted one last week, but it’s likely there are more hiding behind that ledge. Last year this nest had three chicks.
Hornby Nest
It’s a bit hard to see, but look closely and you’ll see one chick nestled in right in front of the adult. Are there more? Maybe.
Burrard Nest #2
A bit of luck – I saw one of the parent fly in and deliver a small fish to one of the chicks – while the other looked on with what I can only imagine was jealousy. Chances are the second chick was feed sometime soon afterwards. Gulls are exceptionally good parents.
Burrard Nest #3
We’ve got two chicks at Burrard Nest #3.
Pine Nest (confirmed)
My hunch was correct on this nest! I was able to spot two chicks on the top of Pine Nest as I was coming down one of the offramps of the Granville Street Bridge.
University Nest (unconfirmed)
This weekend I was able to find a viewpoint that let me see this potential nest – I saw an adult landing here last week, apparently carrying nesting materials. I wasn’t able to spot any chicks despite watching for a while… but it’s entirely possible the nest is hidden in the vegetation and invisible to me. We’ll see…
Other Nests
Burrard Nest #1
Adult nearby, at least one chick present.
Brigade Nest
No gulls close by – I spotted two people on the rooftop a few days before on my lunch break. (Yes, I sometimes eat my lunch as fast as possible and wander up the bridge to check the nests…) The chicks have probably hatched, possibly wandered to a part of the roof that’s not visible to get some shade?
Apartment Nest (unconfirmed)
One adult sleeping on a ledge, but no chicks visible.
Beach Ave Nest
One adult resting behind ledge, no chicks visible.
West Third Nest (unconfirmed)
No birds visible at all. Regardless, I still think there may be a nest here.
Silver Seas Nest
One adult’s head just peeking above a ledge, one adult nearby keeping watch.
Icon Nest (unconfirmed)
One adult keeping watch.
Banded Gull
Finally, here’s a charmingly attractive gull I spotted near the Pyramid Nest. I keep track of the banded gulls I’ve seen, and this one is new to me. Something I’ve noticed is that many of the adult gulls I see seem to molt the feathers around their eyes this time of year.
That’s the end of the gull updates, but I’ve got some more photos of the cormorants gathering nest materials, and I’ll probably be ranting at you about a book I think you should read, as well as talking about music.
I’ll also be hoping the weather doesn’t get so hot that we start seeing chick mortalities.
Until next time…