Love them or hate them, gulls are a part of life in coastal Maine. Here a herring gull waits to pluck a morsel of food from a picnic area at Five Islands Harbor near Bath. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

The migratory birds fill the skies of Portland every spring and summer. Here a gull soars over the streets of the Old Port. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Gulls nest on the rooftops of city buildings each season. Here a flock gulls rest on a rooftop as the sun sets over Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Some people are not fond of the birds because of the mess they leave on vehicles in the city. Here gulls circle over a parking garage in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A gull soars over the streets of the Old Port in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

The birds are an everyday part of life in the area. A gull flies by the Peaks Island Ferry in the fog toward Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A mating couple of gulls look out over the city from the roof of One City Center. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Life is not easy for paring couples nesting on city roof tops. A herring gull attends to its chicks nesting on the roof of One City Center. Each spring and summer the migratory birds nest on the rooftops of Portland buildings. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A herring gull chick stretches its wings on the roof of One City Center. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A gull braces against a rain storm on the roof of One City Center in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Herring gull chicks try to find shelter from a heavy thunderstorm on the roof of One City Center. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A herring gull braces against a rain storm on the roof of One City Center. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Gulls gather anywhere there is an each catch, usually someone elses. A herring gull flies away from a picnic area at Five Islands Harbor near Bath. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A gull flies over the streets of the Old Port in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Herring gulls soars across the evening sky near Portland City Hall. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

A herring gull crosses the evening sky in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Like the scene from a painting, gulls rest on a rock in the fog off Brackett Point on Peaks Island. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

Gulls circle over the streets of Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer

The birds are skillful and aerobatic fliers. A gull flies between the masts of fishing boats at the Old Port in Portland. Jeffrey Blackwell/Online Content Producer