was it really the seagulls grabbing at cole and trying to lift him uo?

That would be true. Check out the quote,

"Now the gulls were pulling at his legs and shoulders with giant beaks, trying to lift him up."

Just to elaborate, this is what Cole had thought. The Seagulls were actually pecking at him (he was near dead). At this point Garvey had showed up and was lifting him off the ground.