On Wed, 29 May 2002, Laurie&Leanne Knight wrote:
> Silver gulls making their presence felt ...
> http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/05/28/1022569772369.html
The photographer who took the glorious Silver Gull picture
has a "flash gallery" with commentary linked to the article at:
http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/flash/2002/urbanbirds.html
Some nices pics but takes a while to download.
I sometimes run in the evening over the Anzac (Glebe Island) bridge,
next to the docks mentioned in the article, which employ a fulltime
bird dropping cleaner. Some nights there are 50-200 Silver Gulls
circling above one of the bridge pylons - quite visible in the lights
of the bridge.
I've seen this behaviour elsewhere around Sydney CBD above tall buildings.
But I haven't see a good explanation.
I read suggestions that they are feeding on insects attracted to the
lights, but this seems very doubtful in winter and at the height they are
circling.
If they are loafing, there would seem to be better alternatives than
flying all night. There is a convenient and presumably very safe roost
near the Anzac bridge on the mid-section of the old Pyrmont bridge.
There could be social interactions occurring - but flying late at night
seems an odd time for this.
A mystery to me.
Andrew Taylor
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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