Looked for the Kelp Gull every day this week, without success.
But today got the call from Bob Inglis and back down the highway I went.Found
the gull easily on the shingle beach left of the jetty,scoped it up and saw that
it has what appears to be a thin wooden skewer impaled into its right upper
breast, protruding about 6 inches.It looks like the skewers used on BBQ's for
shiskebabs.It's hard to understand how the skewer got there as the angle of
entry is 45 degrees from above.One wonders if some foul (human) play was
involved.
In spite of this, the
gull is flying and generally behaving unconcerned.It doesn't attempt to remove
the skewer, was seeing-off some terns from a patch of water it wanted to
itself.We watched it flying around the jetty for some time, then loafing on the
water.
Once home, contacted the
Australian Seabird Rescue folk. Don't know what they can or will do, but they
said they would keep me posted. Thanks for the call Bob.
Russ Lamb, Maleny,SEQ
|