Gulls back at Coffin Butte landfill

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

Yesterday I happened to go by Coffin Butte landfill north of Corvallis, and saw upward of 80 gulls wheeling over the exposed trash in the dumping area. The dumping area is now very high up, so without binoculars I couldn't say for sure which species were present. But based on past years, most of them are probably Glaucous-winged and/or Herring Gulls.

Later on in the afternoon, a few of them picked up thermals over our yard on the east slope of Tampico Ridge, just to the south of the landfill, before ramping off in the direction of Albany. In past years, wintering gull flocks have often roosted on Waverly Pond, though they may have other nocturnal roosting sites.

The presence of hundreds of these gulls, year after year, is unfortunately an indication of how much food and other organic waste goes into the landfill, where under anaerobic conditions it becomes a source of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. Something to think of next time you see gulls at this site.

Yes, it's kind of fun for me to be able to tick multiple gull species on my "motorless" year list every year. But I would gladly sacrifice those easy ticks if we -- throughout the area of western Oregon that sends trash here -- could do a better job of keeping food waste out of trash, and help to reduce our collective greenhouse gas emissions.

Joel

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Joel Geier

Tampico Ridge north of Corvallis

[Don Boucher]

Hi Joel,

At about 8:30 this morning, I was riding my bike north through Lewisburg and saw a flock of about 50 gulls soaring. I figured they were on their way to the landfill. I was on my way to leading a nature field trip at Adair County Park (more on that soon). While there, we saw a smaller flock of about 20 gulls fly by. I couldn't identify any species quickly from beneath.

-Don Boucher

Virus-free.www.avast.com

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