I’m Jake Newman. The Portland Logbook is my love letter to this city: the food worth hunting down, the history that refuses to die, the corners you only find if you’re paying attention.

The Seagulls Are Back. And They’re Loud.

If you live anywhere near the water, which most of us do, you’ve probably noticed the noise level picking up lately. Walk along Commercial Street, the Old Port, or the East End, and you’ll hear it immediately: that sharp kaaah-kaaah echoing from rooftops.

Here are a few quick facts about the birds currently yelling across Portland.

SPECIES: The gull most people see around Portland is the Herring Gull, though the larger Great Black-backed Gull also shows up along the waterfront. Those are the big ones that look like they’re evaluating your lunch situation.

SIZE: Herring Gulls stand about two feet tall with wingspans close to five feet. When one lands next to you, walking past Lobsterman Park, you realize pretty quickly they’re not small birds.

COLOR: If you’ve ever wondered about the all-brown gulls, those aren’t a different species. They’re juvenile Herring Gulls. It takes about four years for them to develop the clean gray-and-white look most people associate with seagulls.

WINTER: Even though they feel permanent, some spend the coldest part of winter farther south along the Atlantic coast. As the Gulf of Maine starts warming up, more of them move back north.

SPRING: What really makes them noticeable again is the breeding season. As daylight increases, gulls become louder and more territorial. Large colonies gather on nesting islands around Casco Bay.

HOME: Most of the gulls you see in Portland actually live on those islands and rocky ledges around the bay. They basically commute into the city for food.

DIET: Fish, clams, mussels, fries, fish bait, pizza crust from Otto’s, and the occasional unattended cigarette.

SOUND: That loud cry echoing around the harbor is known as the “long call.” Biologists say it’s for territory and communication. Honestly, I love the sound of seagulls. It reminds me every day how lucky we are to live by the coast.

LOVE THEM OR NOT: When the gulls get loud again, it usually means the same thing.

Spring!

The Gulls On Your Roof

Portland Has a World-Class Dance Company. Most People Don’t Know It.

About a year ago, I was sitting on the front steps of my house when I ended up talking with someone I had never met before. That’s pretty normal for Portland. She introduced herself as Izzy. At the time, she was a dancer with Little House Dance, and I recognized her from Speckled Ax, where she worked as a barista.

As someone who loves meeting people who are deeply passionate about something, I immediately thought that was cool. I told her the truth: I knew absolutely nothing about dance. I wasn’t even sure I had ever been to any kind of dance performance before. Then I asked the obvious question.

“Can I come?”

A few days later, she invited me to a performance at Mechanics’ Hall. If you’ve never been inside, it’s a big open room with tall columns and a wide wooden floor. Not really a traditional theater. More like an old gathering hall, Portland has been using for events for a long time.

That night, I realized something I hadn’t really thought about before. We tend to assume serious contemporary dance happens somewhere else. New York. Montreal. Berlin. But over the last few years, a contemporary dance company has been quietly building work right here in Portland.

Once you start paying attention, you start seeing them around the city. Performances at Mechanics’ Hall. Collaborations with musicians and other artists. Dancers choosing to build careers here in Maine instead of feeling like they have to leave for somewhere bigger.

After getting to know the group and seeing more of their work, I joined the Board earlier this year. Mostly because I believe in what they’re building and think Portland should know it’s happening.

This week, Little House is presenting a 50-minute solo work at Mechanics’ Hall called I am an impossible thing. The piece moves between tension, release, and breath, exploring the marks addiction and recovery can leave behind.

Contemporary dance can sometimes feel intimidating if you haven’t experienced it before, but the company puts it simply: there’s no wrong way to watch. You just show up curious.

If you’ve been looking for something different in Portland’s arts scene, this is a good place to start.

See the Performance

THIS WEEKS CONDITIONS
☀️ SUNRISE: 7:02 AM
🌅 SUNSET: 6:41 PM
✨ Local Opening : Portland Antiques Mall
✨ Local Favorite “Shop” of the Week: One Longfellow Square
✨ Local Artist of the Week: James Mattison

Portside Real Estate Group

🏡 I write The Portland Logbook, and I also help people buy and sell homes in Portland.

If a move is on your mind, I’m always happy to help you think it through.

Work With Jake

🐾 Adoptable Buddies of the Week! 🐾

🐶 Princess Bubblegum – 3 yrs
A joyful, tail-wagging sweetheart with big puppy eyes and endless enthusiasm. She loves people, has lived with other dogs, and would thrive in an active home ready for walks, play, and plenty of attention.

🐶 Joseph – 4 yrs
A playful, happy guy who loves tug-of-war and already knows a few tricks. He’s smart, affectionate, and just looking for a patient family to keep teaching him the good life.

🐱 Rooney – 14 yrs
A calm, affectionate senior who loves sunbeams, naps, and gentle head scratches. Rooney does have diabetes, but she takes her medicine like a pro and would love a quiet home to spend her golden years.

🐕 Interested? Check them out here

If the link doesn’t open anymore, it means they’ve already been adopted!