Hi All,
Thank you for the info. I did see the bird & got a couple of dodgy photos!
I arrived at 7.30am after a 5 hour drive. Initially I was in the wrong spot,
there is a hardware opp. the ferry, south of the canal, which is south of the
large gravel area where the bird had been seen.
I spent the first few hours searching along the shoreline in both areas, i.e.
north & south of the small canal, in amongst all the yacht moorings & scanning
anything that flew by that looked like a gull or a tern.
After that I decided to jump on the ferry & go across the canal & check around
the shore of Raymond Island, still no luck.
Around 12.30 I came back to the original area outside the Hardware, on the
gravel carpark. While standing next to my car (on the phone to work!!) I had to
hang up cause I saw a bird coming towards me from the north, it looked
gull-like but flight more tern-like very slightly. I grabbed binos just as it
passed but I got a glimpse of black on head. I also noticed on the back its
colour was slightly browner-silver than the silver of a silver gull, & the
wings seemed to be edged white on top. It was heading south so I jumped in the
car & raced around to the south of town, but could not see it from the car
park to the left of the playground. About 250 m to the south I saw a group of
gulls around a car that looked like they were being fed, so I raced over there.
As I got near I noticed a single gull hanging back from the others & it had a
black head!! I pulled over near by, grabbed my camera & as I took my first
photo it took off. I managed 3-4 quick snaps
as it flew past, I grabbed binos & saw it from behind again as it flew back
towards the north. I spent 20 more minutes trying to locate it again but with
no luck. The group of gulls that were being fed were on a grassy area in front
of a craft centre, southwest of the main shopping area of town.
All up, I got about 15 secs view of the bird but it made the drive home very
sweet.
Thanks again to all who answered my request, particularly Tim, whose good oil
was very useful.
Good luck to all who chase the little beauty
Scott Ryan
________________________________
From: Geoff Price <>
To: Jenny Stiles <>; Scott Ryan
<>
Sent: Tuesday, 30 October 2012 9:11 PM
Subject: Update on Franklin Gull Please
Thanks Jenny ...
I was there this morning, at the carpark - there was two Black
Cormorants, a few Little Black and Little Pied, two Pacific Gulls and a
Masked Lapwing. Looks like I was a minute too late ... :(
I may go back earlier on Thursday if I'm feeling lucky, so good luck
Scott if you go for it!
Geoff
On 30/10/2012 8:52 PM, Jenny Stiles wrote:
Hi Geoff & Scott,
>There is a report & photo of the Franklin's Gull taken today at
Paynesville, so it apparently was there! the info given on Birdline is
"
>The Franklin's Gull, reported on Saturday 27th of October, was still in
the same area at Paynesville this morning. It was near the boat ramp at
the south end of the large gravel hardstand area. The gull was in the
company of two cormorants, two Pacific Gulls and one Masked Lapwing.
>John Hutchison "
>
>Good luck in locating it,
>From Jenny Stiles
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message----- From: Geoff Price
>Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 8:40 PM
>To: Scott Ryan
>Cc: Aus
>Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Update on Franklin Gull Please
>
>I went to look for it today - Tuesday - with zero luck. Spent all day
in
>Paynesville, centering on the car park over the road from the Hardware
>store, as well as checking every other gull I could find in the general
>Paynesville area. The car park is on Slip Street, easy to find with
>google maps.
>
>If you happen to find it Scott, could you please post it here and I
will
>look again on Thursday? Cheers.
>
>Danged if I believe this wretched bird exists - dipped every time I've
>looked.
>
>Geoff
>
>
>On 30/10/2012 7:56 AM, Scott Ryan wrote:
>
>G'day Birding-Aus'ers,
>> I'm looking to drive down to Paynesville tomorrow& was hoping
somebody could post any up-to-date info on the Franklin Gull...
>>Where, when& who with would be very much appreciated
>> Thank you
>> Scott Ryan
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>
--
Geoff Price
21 Brownbill Street
Moe 3825
Phone: +61351263016
Mobile: +61400248159
Email:
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