ウミネコの繁殖地として知られる八戸市の蕪島で、“異変”が起きている。2月下旬は例年、南方で過ごしたウミネコが徐々に飛来し始める時期だが、監視員の渡辺八男さん（79）＝八戸市＝によると、27日現在ですでに1万羽以上がいるという。この冬を蕪島で越冬したウミネコが多いと見られているためだ。渡辺さんは「例年の冬はいなくなるはずが、今冬は5～6千羽が越冬した。新たに飛来したのを合わせると、例年の2倍はいそう。何が原因なのか…」と首をかしげている。蕪島のウミネコは例年、2月下旬ごろから飛来が始まり、島と海上の行き来を繰り返しながら、群れで島に降り立つ時間が徐々に長くなっていく。4月中旬ごろになると繁殖活動を開始。ひなが育った7月下旬ごろには約3万5千羽に達し、餌となるイワシやイカなどの漁場を求めて大半が北へ旅立つ。その後は九州付近まで南下し、2月ごろに蕪島へ戻ってくるという。一方、今冬は昨年11月ごろに、数千羽が蕪島に立ち寄り、そのまま越冬したウミネコが多いという。蕪嶋神社の関係者は「年越しの時期にもウミネコがいたのには驚いた」と話す。蕪島のウミネコの生態に詳しい日本鳥学会員の成田章さん（45）＝青森市＝は「はっきりとした原因は分からない」と前置きした上で「これだけ多くのウミネコが長時間滞在したのは珍しい」と語る。ウミネコは普段、海上にいるが、繁殖期や海上の天候が悪化している時などは陸地に上がることも多いという。成田さんは約20年前にも1度、ウミネコの越冬を確認しているが、当時は天候悪化による一時的な滞在だと認識していたという。それだけに「今回の長期間の滞在は不思議だ。餌となる魚の群れの動きに左右された可能性がある」と推測している。
In a turnip island of Hachinohe-shi known as a breeding place of the black-tailed gulls, "an accident" is taking place. In the end of February, it is said that there are already higher than 10,000 according to Watanabe eight man (79)= Hachinohe-shi = of the watchman as of 27th in an average year, the south at the time when the black-tailed gull which I spent begins to gradually come flying. This is because this winter is considered that there are many black-tailed gulls which wintered in a turnip island. As for "the winter of the average year, Watanabe should disappear, but 5000-6000 of them wintered this winter, and I will let you be to the double in an average year, and what is it caused by the fact newly when I put what came flying together? … I look puzzled with ". Time to get down on the island in a group gradually gets longer while coming flying beginning in about the end of February as for the black-tailed gull of the turnip island in an average year, and repeating an island and the marine coming and going. When it is about the middle of April, I start breeding activity. I reach approximately 35,000 of them in about the end of July when a young bird grew, and most of leave for the north for the fishing grounds such as a sardine or the cuttlefish becoming the bait. I go south to around nine states, and it is said that I come back to the turnip island in about February afterwards. On the other hand, in about last November, several thousand of them drop in at the turnip island this winter, and it is said that there are many black-tailed gulls which just wintered. The person concerned of 蕪嶋神社 tells, "I was surprised that there was a black-tailed gull at time of the seeing the old year out". Akira Narita (45)= Aomori-shi = of the Japanese ornithology member knowing a lot about the habits of the black-tailed gull of the turnip island tells, "it is unusual for many black-tailed gulls to have stayed only in this for a long time" after having prefaced it saying "the clear cause does not know it". There are usually black-tailed gulls on the sea, but it is said that it often rises on the land when the breeding season and marine weather turn worse. Narita confirms once, wintering of the black-tailed gull approximately 20 years ago, but it is said that I recognized that it is a temporary stay by the weather aggravation in those days. I suppose all the more it saying this long-term stay is mysterious, and "it might depend on bait and the movement of the group of the fish that it is".
In a turnip island of Hachinohe-shi known as a breeding place of the black-tailed gulls, "an accident" is taking place. In the end of February, it is said that there are already higher than 10,000 according to Watanabe eight man (79)= Hachinohe-shi = of the watchman as of 27th in an average year, the south at the time when the black-tailed gull which I spent begins to gradually come flying. This is because this winter is considered that there are many black-tailed gulls which wintered in a turnip island. As for "the winter of the average year, Watanabe should disappear, but 5000-6000 of them wintered this winter, and I will let you be to the double in an average year, and what is it caused by the fact newly when I put what came flying together? … I look puzzled with ". Time to get down on the island in a group gradually gets longer while coming flying beginning in about the end of February as for the black-tailed gull of the turnip island in an average year, and repeating an island and the marine coming and going. When it is about the middle of April, I start breeding activity. I reach approximately 35,000 of them in about the end of July when a young bird grew, and most of leave for the north for the fishing grounds such as a sardine or the cuttlefish becoming the bait. I go south to around nine states, and it is said that I come back to the turnip island in about February afterwards. On the other hand, in about last November, several thousand of them drop in at the turnip island this winter, and it is said that there are many black-tailed gulls which just wintered. The person concerned of 蕪嶋神社 tells, "I was surprised that there was a black-tailed gull at time of the seeing the old year out". Akira Narita (45)= Aomori-shi = of the Japanese ornithology member knowing a lot about the habits of the black-tailed gull of the turnip island tells, "it is unusual for many black-tailed gulls to have stayed only in this for a long time" after having prefaced it saying "the clear cause does not know it". There are usually black-tailed gulls on the sea, but it is said that it often rises on the land when the breeding season and marine weather turn worse. Narita confirms once, wintering of the black-tailed gull approximately 20 years ago, but it is said that I recognized that it is a temporary stay by the weather aggravation in those days. I suppose all the more it saying this long-term stay is mysterious, and "it might depend on bait and the movement of the group of the fish that it is".