Nikolas / Mike
I tend to agree with Nikolas that they seem to have become more regular in that
area - in the SE of England they have gone from rare to an annual regular (but
scarce). Whether this is a real increase or due to more observers - who knows.
If the Sab's gull I saw heading south at Scarborough last Sunday had have been
in the Uk on a Sunday afternoon it would probably have been reported at 3 or 4
other places! My father was one of the London recorders until recently so re.
London. here are the stats. 4 London records prior to 1987 (no wonder you
didn't see one Mike!). Then a minimum of 52 (up to 64) birds in 1987 (with
birds hanging around for up to a week - this is when I saw most of my London
birds) and that October they turned up all over the place in land due to the
'great-storm'. Post 1987 recorded more regularly mainly in E London after
strong easterlys (the 1987 birds came in on a SW wind of up to 100mph). There
were 3 in 1988, 1 in 1989, 1 in 1993 etc. The vast majotity of birds I've seen
have been from St Ives / Pendeen in Cornwall and on the annual UK Pelagic on
the Scillonion - I'm just pleased I can go an a Pelagic on a monthly instead of
annual basis! (Perhaps the increasing frequency in SE UK / Germany is all down
to global warming and more stormy weather!) Anyway, this is somewhat irrelevant
to Sunday - I was purely making the point that they can turn up in odd
locations and hang around!
Rob Morris Brisbane, Australia Rob Morris Brisbane, Australia > Date: Tue, 18
Mar 2008 04:45:05 -0700> From: > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus]
Sabine's Gull, Scarborough (Redcliffe, QLD)> To: ;
; > CC:
> > Mike,> > Your comment about Sabine's Gulls in 30
years UK is interesting. In Germany, Sabine's Gull used to be a rare bird as
well - there were only 79 records between 1832 and 1979 (43 of which alone in
1963!). In the 80s Sabine's Gull became a regular migrant through the North Sea
(typically between August and October). This increase in regularity might be
artificial due to better optical equipment and more "seawatchers". Sabine's
Gull is still rare on the mainland although - once in a while - you can find
one 800 km inland!> > Nikolas> > ----------------> Nikolas Haass>
> Sydney, NSW> > > ----- Original Message ----> From: Mike
Carter <>> To: robert morris
<>; BIRDING-AUS <>> Cc:
Tony Palliser <>> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 9:16:10
AM> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Sabine's Gull, Scarborough (Redcliffe, QLD)> > I
hope you realise that this is a rare bird and therefore needs to be > assessed
by BARC. The submission should be easy, - you've already written > it! Go to
the BARC link from Tony Palliser's web page. Incidentally, I lived > in the UK
for 30 years, birded the London reservoirs almost every weekend > for some of
that time and never saw a Sabine's Gull. I first saw the species > from the
ship on the way out here and have seen only one in 44 years in > Australia!> >
Mike Carter> 30 Canadian Bay Road> Mount Eliza VIC 3930> Tel (03) 9787 7136> >
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