Environmental issue

Kittiwake Committee: Monitoring Black-legged kittiwakes in Homer, Alaska

Originally published: October 16, 2026
Published on BreakingExpress: November 10, 2026

Publisher-provided news brief — NOAA

By NOAA. Originally published October 16, 2026. Original source · Reuse terms. Text-only republication; media omitted.

November 6, 2026

I’m Galen June, and I’m studying marine biology with a minor in statistics at Old Dominion University. I spent my summer in Homer, Alaska, at the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) mentored by Ingrid Harrald. For my research project, I monitored the reproductive success and population of black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) colonies on Gull Island and in Homer harbor. Here are some highlights from my summer internship as a seabird biologist.

Once a week, I went to Gull Island, the historic black-legged kittiwake colony in Kachemak Bay, owned by the Seldovia Native Association. Our goal was to gauge how many kittiwakes were attempting to breed. I brought my camera, binoculars, field notebook, and friends along with me to Gull Island to count the number of kittiwakes and nests there. Since no one is allowed on the island, we had to count from the boat.

I also monitored kittiwake productivity, or their breeding success, from the docks in Homer harbor. On the docks, I watched the nests for a couple of hours a few days a week. Since I could get so close to the nests, I was able to collect data on egg laying, chick hatching, and fledging throughout the season. This was my favorite part since I got to watch kittiwakes build their nests, lay their eggs, and raise their chicks all summer long! The kittiwakes were relatively successful this breeding season. Overall population numbers were down, but productivity stayed similar to previous years.

Outside of research, my bunkmates and I got to explore Alaska. The best part was camping at Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park. Throughout the summer, I took so many pictures of Alaskan wildlife, 15,392 to be exact. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to come to Homer. I learned so much about myself and what I want to achieve in my career!