Just back from Broome. The bird was still at the rubbish tip on Saturday. George Swann, Mike Carter, Richard Baxter and Rohan Clarke had seen it earlier that morning before a heavy rain storm just before I landed. I missed it when I tried again on Sunday, but there were a lot of gulls flying around high and in the distance.
The people at the tip were very helpful, but don’t abuse the privilege. There is heavy moving equipment working around the tip, so stay well clear of them. There has been quite a lot of rain in Broome in the past few days, and the tracks around the tip are very wet and muddy. The mud is not soft, but I wouldn’t count on it. I would recommend 4WD.
The tip hours are 07:00 to 15:00 Monday-Saturday and 09:00 to 13:00 on Sunday.
I found the bird near the top of the tip, standing in a pool of water. It took me 40 minutes to locate it on the Saturday. I had looked at that spot a couple of times previously. I looked for 50 minutes on the Sunday without success.
I have Wildlife Recorder as the database that I use to record my sightings, with the IOC taxonomy. It lists the bird as Heuglin’s Gull (Larus fuscus heuglini). i.e. A sub species of Lesser Black-backed Gull. So I am not certain of the latest taxonomy of this complex.
_________________________________________________________________ Frank O’Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email : foconnor@iinet.net.au
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