Hello Dick and the other person reading this,
The Kelp Gull is certainly not common around Woody Point (just north of Brisbane
on the Redcliffe Peninsula, SE Queensland, Australia).
The last, and first, official record to my knowledge was in April 1989 when an
Immature individual spent a few days holidaying in the area.
I am not a gull expert but my photos of that bird indicate it was a 2nd or 3rd
year immature.
Perhaps it has grown up and suddenly remembered the pleasant experience it had
stirring up the local birdwatching fraternity and has returned for a second
round.
Today, Monday 30/9/02, I went to the spot mentioned but it wasn't there, of
course.
I will try again during the week; just shows you what you miss out on if you
turn-off from birdwatching during the school holidays.
That particular part of Woody Point has turned up a few 'rarities' over the
years:
- Wandering Tattler (which I didn't see);
- Broad-billed Sandpiper (which I didn't see)
- South Island Pied Oystercatcher (which I did see)
and possibly others.....
....always worth a visit during the wader season.
Kelp Gulls are uncommon in Queensland but there have been sightings over the
past 15 or so years as far north as Cairns.
Some records:
l4.6.86 Apollo Wharf, Breakfast Ck (Brisbane) T.Palliser
16.11.88 Cairns Esplanade D Magarry (believed to be only 2nd record in
Cairns)
Early June 1989 Caloundra C Jeays
10.11.90 Cairns Esplanade P Mahoney
15.11.97 Cairns Esplanade D. Magarry
Cheers
Bob Inglis
Woody Point
Queensland
Australia
PS: I have just seen Tom Tarrants Kelp Gull Pics, @%$*&
So I went and had another look........without my camera.
I knew that would work because the bird was there!
A quick dash home for the digiscoping gear and 67 shots later I had about 4
reasonable pictures of my own.
Must get that good scope if I want to match it with Tom!
----------------------------------------------------------
Original message:
< Dick Jenkin of Dungog said:
< Just back from a flying visit to Queensland for the weekend. Squeezed a bit of
birding in between visits to relatives. I will post a more detailed report later
but < was delighted to find an Adult Kelp Gull at Woody Point on the Redcliffe
Peninsula and thought this was unusually far North for them ? A local may be
able to < let me know ? Bob Inglis if you are out there ? The bird was roosting
at high tide on Saturday afternoon at the end of the road just left of the long
jetty, along < with Silver Gulls, Crested Terns , Ruddy Turnstones and 17 Pied
Oyster Catchers.
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