Do seagulls migrate with the fall run
 

At times it looks like AH's "The Birds". Do you think a bunch migrate with the fall run or just congregate locally? I know we have holdovers but nothing like the numbers you see during the fall run.

Yeah they do. Last year at Herring Cove they all rose from the water and left with the fish at once. Never felt so depressed in my life.

I always see them sitting around waiting every winter

ive always wondered that. good question!

So the seagulls I'm seeing are Hold Overs?

I think a lot of them stay local - depending upon where they nest ... as you will see them circling parking lots at the grocery store, by restaurants, etc. during the winter looking for an easy meal ... and of course open dumps, where it looks like there's a frenzy all the time, just garbage and rats ...

IMO >> 90% still local ;;

some move inland to the lakes ///

I,ve watched them for years as I,ve dug / I know where & when they breed /
all winter .there here ><><

funny you mention this because I have been noticing WAY more seagulls in these parts the past week or so and thought it was odd. I wondered if they wander further inland as it gets colder.....of course I see them in the usual parking lots and the river but never usually in these numbers unless I am closer to the shore.

Seagulls by a lake where I live will usually be in huge numbers in the Fall(Oct to DEC.), and then in the Spring from early April to early May!!!
They will head for the river and ocean current water in May and return to the lake in the Fall after the fish are gone!!!
There seem to be some that (Holdover) for the Winter, but the majority of them leave the area for (I believe) parts South of here!!!
Maybe to South or North Carolina???

http://www.birdnature.com/flyways.html

Here's a cool site.
I've noticed over the years vatious types of sea birds at different times of year. We're all familiar with the gannets and piping plovers. The day that I wrote of in the previous post at Herring Cove was amazing. Great rafts of many species of sea birds. Almost as if the factory whistle had blown they rose from the water and flew in unison to the Southerd. I knew at that exact moment that it was over for us all. No more bait and no more fish. I stood with my rod in my hand and watched them fly

From what i've seen on the beaches ,the terns and laughing gulls leave with the fish while some of the larger gulls do winter over.