London's Bird Life in 1900: Sea Gulls

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Arthur H. Beavan made a survey of London birds, in Imperial London, published in 1901, here looking at the sea gull:

Another kind of wild bird had of late established itself in astonishing numbers in London, though only as daily residents.

These were the sea-gulls that had taken to journey from the saltings at the mouth of the Thames - an easy flight for them - to settle down in the river and in St. James' Park lake, where in severe weather they would actually snatch a sprat if offered to them, out of the hand.

This excursion to town appears to have originated with the cold snap of 1895, when flocks of frozen-out and destitute gulls took up temporary quarters in London, singling out Westminster Bridge as a good "pitch," where they received the doles willingly bestowed upon them.

In the following year they again made their appearance upon and about the Metropolitan waters, and I am inclined to believe that they did so, not so much as harbingers of a coming severe winter, as out of gratitude for the kindly reception they had previously met with, for birds have excellent memories of human kindness, and are keenly and sensitively watchful for its signs and tokens, and eager to profit by them.

During the north-east gales that prevailed at the close of 1900, an extraordinary sight could be witnessed on the ornamental water of St. James' Park.

Hundreds and hundreds of tern and gulls (chiefly black-headed), kittiwakes, a few herring-gulls and lesser black-backed gulls, appropriated the area reserved for the water-fowl.

It was blowing half a gale, and a miniature sea resulted, so this multitude of wild gulls settled down in the midst of London without a particle of fear, riding head to wind in the most nautical fashion; but their presence so disturbed the regular tenants of the park waters, that they vacated the precincts, and retired disgusted to the bank.

Some of the Thames gulls, being well fed at the park, and finding sustenance about the bridges, settled down inland for the winter, and every evening great flights might be seen making their way across the reaches of the Thames, towards Richmond, in detachments of from ten to two hundred.

Next: Bird Life in 1900 London: Starlings