Hi all,
As an aside to the current Silver Gull discussion I would like to suggest that for those living in, or traveling to, the north-west of Australia it is worth checking all flocks of gulls for vagrants.
In November 2009 I was on Cape Leveaque, north of Broome, and came across a bird that looked different to the surrounding Silver Gulls. The main difference I noted at the time was that it appeared to be an adult, or near adult, bird but there were no noticeable white patches or “windows” in the outer primaries. Because of my distance from the bird and lack of photos taken the consensus was “Silver Gull, they are different up here”. I still have my reservations about this outcome but I am accepting it, for now.
My suggestion though is, if you are traveling in the n-w this season it may be worth checking all flocks of gulls, and not writing them off as “just Silver Gulls”. I think there is a possibility of juvenile and or non-breeding northern hemisphere gulls mixed in with them. How I wish I could get back up there and check for myself (smile).
cheers
Jenny ===============================
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Vagrant gulls can turn up anywhere, anytime, not just the north-west. One day in 1988 I was at the wharf in Triabunna, Tas, waiting to go out on a fishing boat. It was early morning when a lone gull flew into the car park to drink at a puddle. Silver Gull, not too exciting. A second gull flew in, Kelp Gull, that’s nice. And a third, this time a Pacific. Good list of gulls for early morn, I’m thinking. A fourth gull, hmm a Laughing Gull. Now it’s a good list.
David James, Sydney burunglaut07@yahoo.com ==============================
Sent: Tuesday, 5 July 2011 12:01 PM
Hi all,
As an aside to the current Silver Gull discussion I would like to suggest that for those living in, or traveling to, the north-west of Australia it is worth checking all flocks of gulls for vagrants.
In November 2009 I was on Cape Leveaque, north of Broome, and came across a bird that looked different to the surrounding Silver Gulls. The main difference I noted at the time was that it appeared to be an adult, or near adult, bird but there were no noticeable white patches or “windows” in the outer primaries. Because of my distance from the bird and lack of photos taken the consensus was “Silver Gull, they are different up here”. I still have my reservations about this outcome but I am accepting it, for now.
My suggestion though is, if you are traveling in the n-w this season it may be worth checking all flocks of gulls, and not writing them off as “just Silver Gulls”. I think there is a possibility of juvenile and or non-breeding northern hemisphere gulls mixed in with them. How I wish I could get back up there and check for myself (smile).
cheers
Jenny ===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org =============================== ===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
G’day Jen,
I agree and would also like to encourage people to keep an eye out for possible Brown-headed Gull in north west Australia. I hope you can revisit the area and have another go at sifting through the Gulls there. But would also like to emphasize that juvenile and first year Silver Gull from that region have a wing very similar but only subtly different to Brown-headed also lacking a mirror patch in the primaries. It’s the head people need to focus attention to with distant birds, look for ear spots etc and redness of bill colour. And always try to get photos to go with written notes.
Cheers Jeff.