Just back from Broome. The bird was still at the rubbish tip on
Saturday. George Swann, Mike Carter, Richard Baxter and Rohan Clarke
had seen it earlier that morning before a heavy rain storm just
before I landed. I missed it when I tried again on Sunday, but there
were a lot of gulls flying around high and in the distance.
The people at the tip were very helpful, but don't abuse the
privilege. There is heavy moving equipment working around the tip,
so stay well clear of them. There has been quite a lot of rain in
Broome in the past few days, and the tracks around the tip are very
wet and muddy. The mud is not soft, but I wouldn't count on it. I
would recommend 4WD.
The tip hours are 07:00 to 15:00 Monday-Saturday and 09:00 to 13:00 on Sunday.
I found the bird near the top of the tip, standing in a pool of
water. It took me 40 minutes to locate it on the Saturday. I had
looked at that spot a couple of times previously. I looked for 50
minutes on the Sunday without success.
I have Wildlife Recorder as the database that I use to record my
sightings, with the IOC taxonomy. It lists the bird as Heuglin's
Gull (Larus fuscus heuglini). i.e. A sub species of Lesser
Black-backed Gull. So I am not certain of the latest taxonomy of this complex.
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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