Local History: The Secret Lives of the Gulls of Appledore

Gulls often elicit strong feelings; thieving french fries at the beach and dumpster diving behind fast-food restaurants has earned them a negative reputation among humans. What most people do not know is that gulls have rich social lives. They have individual quirks, personalities, and habits, much like we do, and they may not be as common or successful in our human-altered world as you might think. Join us to learn about the lives of your wild neighbors, the gulls nesting Appledore Island in the Isles of Shoals archipelago.

Registration is required.

Sarah Courchesne was raised in Amesbury, earned her B.A. in English at UMass-Amherst, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Tufts. She directed the Seabird Ecological Assessment Network (SEANET), a community science project aimed at identifying patterns and causes of seabird mortality. Formerly an adjunct instructor at North Shore Community College, she joined the faculty at Northern Essex Community College in 2014, teaching chemistry and biology courses. She is now a Professor of Natural Sciences and co-leads a multi-year study on the ecology of Great Black-backed Gulls on Appledore Island in Maine, and is committed to creating access to field biology experiences for NECC students and members of the public. Sarah also writes the Backyard Naturalist column for Merrimack Valley Magazine.