Great Gull IslandThe sounds of Great Gull Island. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. Hays: See all these young birds coming up.Just off the eastern tip of Long Island, NY, Great Gull Island is a breeding ground for terns. For decades, ornithologist Helen Hays has been conducting research here. Some years back, I spent the day with her on the island. We walked carefully near the nesting area of thousands of birds. Occasionally, birds would swoop down and attack us, so to avoid being pecked by a sharp beak, each researcher wore a hat that sported a long upright stick, so the birds would peck the stick and not us. Here’s what it sounded like walking on the island.Metzner: Do you ever feel that these guys know you?Hays: No. They attack us regularly. This is a good thing. It would be bad if they got habituated and didn’t bother about us.Great Gull Island with ornithologist Helen Hays.A heads-up that I’ve written a novel which combines elements of nature, history and a touch of magical realism. For more information, visit pulseplanet.com. That’s pulseplanet.com. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.
Great Gull Island
A sound portrait of a nesting site for terns, surrounded - and sometimes attached by - thousands of breeding birds.
Air Date:06/23/2020
Scientist:
Transcript:
Great Gull IslandThe sounds of Great Gull Island. I'm Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. Hays: See all these young birds coming up.Just off the eastern tip of Long Island, NY, Great Gull Island is a breeding ground for terns. For decades, ornithologist Helen Hays has been conducting research here. Some years back, I spent the day with her on the island. We walked carefully near the nesting area of thousands of birds. Occasionally, birds would swoop down and attack us, so to avoid being pecked by a sharp beak, each researcher wore a hat that sported a long upright stick, so the birds would peck the stick and not us. Here's what it sounded like walking on the island.Metzner: Do you ever feel that these guys know you?Hays: No. They attack us regularly. This is a good thing. It would be bad if they got habituated and didn't bother about us.Great Gull Island with ornithologist Helen Hays.A heads-up that I've written a novel which combines elements of nature, history and a touch of magical realism. For more information, visit pulseplanet.com. That's pulseplanet.com. I'm Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.