Heermann's Gull

Midsummer brings an odd little gull, the Heermann’s gull, to the Oregon coast.  Adults have beautiful white heads, bright red and black bills, and a lovely warm brown body.  They just don’t look like gulls!  

They are also odd in that they go south to the Gulf of California and Mexico to nest, and fly north after nesting is finished.  Late summer and fall is spent as far north as southern British Columbia, Canada.  

Their big name came from an even longer one.  Heermann’s gulls are named after Adophus Lewis Herrmann, a nineteenth century explorer and naturalist.  

Each summer I look forward to these quiet gulls turning up along our coastline.