www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 6-12, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 There’s an old myth about why the Heermann’s gull, a smaller, red-billed seagull that’s been nesting atop businesses in Seaside, steals food from its pelican neighbors. In a world before birds were birds, as the Indigenous Seri story goes, jealousy over money sparked a family feud, eventually becoming immortalized as those ancestors were turned into birds. “Sometimes, you’ll see the gulls swoop down and grab fish from inside the pelican’s pouch,” says Kai Russel of the Audubon Society, telling the story as he looks down at three Heermann’s gulls sitting contently on the sand in front of him one Wednesday evening at Monterey State Beach. Russel, along with a number of volunteers and staff with the Monterey Audubon Society, count the gulls aggregating alongside an outfall at the beach. They’ve counted about 120 birds, some of them banded thanks to a new initiative launched this year: the Heermann’s Gull Monitoring Project. “We weren’t sure our local colony went to this spot before, but now we know because of the bands,” Russel says of these birds. “This monitoring project is the most hands-on of any project we’ve done so far.” From June 23 through the end of July, 17 volunteers patrolled Broadway during peak hours as part of the project’s outreach program. Working in pairs and adorned in identifiable vests and carrying clipboards, they spoke with passersby who were curious or concerned about the birds. Famously, the near-threatened species has selected the businesses along Broadway as its main nesting location. The local colony in Seaside is the only breeding colony in the United States. In the past, local business owners have been frustrated by the stench that accompanies the nesting birds, as well as concerns for the birds themselves. Each year, chicks make their first attempts to fly from rooftop nests—some ending up in the middle of traffic. Deb Kramer, volunteer and community engagement manager with the Audubon Society, says an initial challenge was reframing negative comments about the colony by explaining its history and clarifying that the goal is to move the birds to a better location, not keep them on business rooftops. “People would say, ‘the birds are messy, noisy and stinky,’” Kramer says. “Our response evolved, which was a great way to shift the conversation. People were more receptive to talking about them once they knew that we were in alignment with them.” Using drones, two students from CSU Monterey Bay have also been collecting data on the size of the Seaside colony and their interactions with other gulls. The City of Seaside has partnered in the project, installing signs to warn drivers of potential chicks on the road. When chicks do wander onto the road, volunteers move them to safety before Russel would come band the birds then return them to their nests. “Last year without the program, there were six deaths in one day,” Russel says. “This year, there have been six deaths total.” Bird Watch A Heermann’s Gull project begins helping track and protect the famed red-billed bird. By Katie Rodriguez Roughly 90 percent of the global population of Heermann’s gulls breed on a small island in the Sea of Cortez and are vulnerable to disruptions in food supply and habitat as global temperatures warm. NEWS “This is the most hands-on of any project we’ve done.” KATIE RODRIGUEZ Carmel Tasting Room San Carlos & 7th • 831.626.WINE (9463) Estate Winery & Tasting Room 1972 Hobson Ave, Greenfield SCHEIDVINEYARDS.COM Enjoyfriends. sips. Pouring daily from 12pm OCEAN AVE 7TH AVE 8TH AVE MISSION ST Carmel Plaza Sunset Community & Cultural Center SAN CARLOS ST DOLORES ST
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