SEASIDE – In an effort to replace a nesting place that was recently destroyed, and also enhance a newly-erected eco-recreation station, the city of Seaside is being asked to authorize a permit for a floating ecological bird habitat island planned for the southern end of Roberts Lake in Seaside.

The Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society is the applicant seeking the permit.

“Heermann’s gulls are a unique species of gull from the Pacific Coast that traditionally breed in the Gulf of Mexico, then disperse northward to the West Coast in summer and fall,” said Blake Matheson, Monterey Audubon Society president. “The breeding grounds are extremely vulnerable to climate change and their breeding efforts there have failed more often than not in recent years.”

Matheson said in the 1990s a pioneering group of Heermann’s gulls began nesting on an artificial island on Roberts Lake, becoming the only breeding Heermann’s in the United States. But by 2007, the island had eroded away.

“For the past 10 years the birds have attempted to nest on commercial buildings in Seaside with poor results,” said Matheson. “A property owner caused a breeding effort to fail when he placed netting over active nests in 2016.”

And recently, a fledgling roof-top nesting place for the gulls was incinerated.

“Heermann’s gulls used to nest on the roof of McDonald’s,” said Gloria Stearns, Seaside development program manager. “Once McDonald’s was destroyed, the nearly-threatened species had no nesting space.”

The two-story McDonald’s restaurant across the street from Roberts Lake burned to the ground in June when it was struck by a speeding car early one morning. No one was killed but the restaurant’s roof was a nesting place for the gulls which was destroyed as a result.

According to Matheson, the species is classed as “near-threatened” with extinction by Birdlife International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but is not protected under the Federal or State Endangered Species acts.

Roberts Lake is a 5.7-acre park area bordered by Del Monte and Canyon Del Rey boulevards, and Highway 1.

The plan is to launch a raft island on Roberts Lake to provide space for nesting. The island can also be observed by the public for environmental education.

The Audubon Society is seeking consent from the city council to place a 20-foot by 20-foot floating but anchored raft that emulates a nesting habitat for the gulls.

“So, Monterey Audubon is attempting to restore a viable option for the birds within Roberts Lake so they’ll have a better chance to breed successfully,” said Matheson. “It’s only a matter of time before Isla Rasa, the main Mexican colony, is subsumed by rising seas or the food chain is broken beyond repair.”

In July, a portion of the park that surrounds the body of water was transformed with the addition of the Roberts Lake Eco-Recreation Station, an outdoor classroom, with nature-based play equipment. The station is to provide environmental learning opportunities, such as, water stewardship, native plants, and local wildlife.

Roberts Lake was once part of a tidal estuary along with Laguna Del Rey, the body of water at Laguna Grande Park across Del Monte Boulevard. Both lakes still provide a home to numerous water fowl, plants and other animals.

Matheson said the Audubon Society believes that facilitating the Heermann’s gulls attempts to move north is a good idea.

“There’s no guarantee of success but we’re confident with hard work and sustained effort we’ve got a good chance,” said Matheson.

It will cost about $50,000 to build, maintain and care for the raft. Monterey Audubon and its grassroots fundraising efforts will cover all costs. The raft will be built in a way to add and anchor other rafts to it in the future if needed.

The Audubon Society is proposing to model the raft after “tern rafts” which have gained popularity in the United Kingdom to create a nesting habitat for gulls and terns. The raft would likely have a base of sturdy plastic framing on top of empty drums for flotation. The surface would be covered with about 2 inches of gravel along with wood and/or rocks for shelter, and provide nooks and crannies for nests while providing protection from predators. The raft would have plexiglass sides about 18 inches high that will keep chicks on the raft until fledged and also allow the birds to be observed. It would also prevent geese and other waterfowl from loafing on the raft.

Stearns said that though the nesting rafts were not part of the original Eco-Recreation Station plan, the raft will complement the environmental education space per the natural preserve standards of the coastal plan.

“It will allow people of all ages to study an additional species,” said Stearns.

In another plus for the re-utilization of Roberts Lake for educational, recreational, and conservation purposes, an annual model boat race can continue to be held at the lake between late August and January. The main nesting period for Heermann’s gulls is between February and August.