Roof-nesting gulls: a request for records

Regular listeners to the Mooney show on RTÉ Radio 1 will already know all about the the Herring Gull family nesting on the RTÉ studio roof in Donnybrook, south Dublin (link to the Mooney show live camera Herring Gull NestWatch here).

Herring Gulls (with pale blue-grey backs and pink legs) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (slate grey-black backs and yellow legs) have been nesting on rooftops in coastal towns and in Dublin City Centre for many years, but it seems that the habit is spreading and BirdWatch Ireland wants to track it. 

We are asking you to tell us if you know of any roof-nesting gulls near you. 

We need a postal address (or GPS coordinates), the type of building (office, factory, residence, church, etc.), the species of gull and whether or not you can see a nest and/or chicks. 

Please report your sightings to Dr. Stephen Newton, Senior Seabird Conservation Officer, at snewton@birdwatchireland.ie

Roof nesting Herring Gull (Photo: Darragh Owens)