Long-lived gulls
Text and gull photos Kalev Rattiste
Birdwatcher photo by Elo Hermann
Translation: Liis
Young birdwatcher “dresses” at Kakrarahu
Gull, Common gull Kalakajakas Larus canus
On Saturday Pelle Mellov and Teodor Undrits, students from Tartu Nature House, observed common gulls Marta and Oskar at Kakrarahu in Matsalu.
Marta is the oldest known common gull in Estonia; on June 3rd she will be 33 years old (hatched in 1981 at Kakrarahu). Her partner Oskar will be 25 (hatched on May 24, 1989, also at Kakrarahu). This year is their 20th of living together. Marta laid her first egg on Friday.
The best of luck to the pair at their nesting!
Marta on the nest last spring
Oskar feeding Marta at the nest, photo from last year
Common gulls winter in Estonia in small numbers. They begin to arrive to the nesting grounds in March. In West Estonia common gulls occur frequently, inland they breed in small numbers. The number of nesters is estimated at ten to fifteen thousand pairs.
Observations of common gulls: LINK
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