Last week I was with family and friends at Sussex Inlet for 6 days, fishing and sightseeing with a bit of birding when practicable. One thing that I noted was an almost complete absence of Silver Gulls. In the whole time we saw no more than about 5 or 6.
We were on the water for a total of about 25 hours over the period, both on St Georges Basin and in the inlet/river itself. Each time we cleaned fish at the private jetty attached to the house we stayed in there were between 1 and 5 Pelicans who arrived before we had the boat tied up, but not a single Silver Gull. The house backs on to one of the “canals” and has great views over the water. When not out fishing or sightseeing we just sat and admired the view. Lots of birds to see, but no Silver Gulls.
Far more numerous than the Silver Gulls were Masked Lapwings on almost any open grassed area, and approximately a hundred Cormorants, mainly Little black and Little Pied.
Highlight of the week was my first Eastern Bristlebird, at Cave Beach in Booderee National Park. We stood on the boardwalk to the lookout and it just walked out of the scrub directly below us. I put a photo on ABID.
Roger Giller.
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Hi Jill and All
Just saw email about breeding Silver Gulls. This species breeds throughout late winter – spring on KI. Thousands of nests of tape weed (dry sea grass) in samphire bushes in marine estuaries etc. Other seabird breeding is as follows: Black-faced and Pied Cormorants breed first for the year in late autumn – through winter, then the silver gulls, then Little Pied Cormorant, ibis, Pacific Gulls, oystercatchers and spoonbills in spring -summer, followed by crested, Caspian and fairy terns in summer. Aust Pelican seems to breed throughout the year at Kingscote-probably due to artificial feeding at wharf at 5 pm every day (tourist attraction!).
Cheers
Chris Baxter
Hi Roger, Jill & everyone, There were lots of Silver Gulls on the Birdsville Track along the Cooper Creek and even quite a few near the homestead of Etadunna. These gulls were quite used to humans as a source of food as whenever I pulled up the car a small group would flock to me, particularly if I had food in my hands.
I don’t know what the numbers are like around The Nobbies on Phillip Island (Victoria)at the moment as I’m not home yet to check it out, but usually thousands are starting to breed there at this time of the year.
I think the theory that they are outback with the water could have some credence. Cheers
Elizabeth Shaw (Usually)Phillip Island Victoria (currently Mt Skinner approx 200km ne of Alice Springs, NT.)
Roger, I see that no one has replied to your query online. I would expect Silver Gulls to be breeding at this time of year. I have seen breeding colonies at this time of year, though can’t say if this is the case all around the country. Additionally, all the inland rain has no doubt set up suitable inland breeding conditions for Silver Gulls. Perhaps people might offer information about Silver Gull presence right now in their familiar places. Is anyone aware of breeding now?
Cheers,
Jill
Jill Dening Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
26° 51′ 41″S 152° 56′ 00″E
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