On Wed, 29 May 2013 06:08:37 +0000 Robert Morris wrote (in a posting about
uncommon-to-Bribie-Island gulls)
“news doesn't seem to filter out from Bribie - perhaps because it's an island?!”
Perhaps there was another reason these sightings were not reported the moment
the sightings were actually made.
Perhaps the people who first found these birds weren’t perfectly sure of the
identifications of the gulls in question.
Perhaps they didn’t want to put out false information and have anxious birders
complaining about having their time wasted.
It is my understanding that Pacific Gulls have not been reported on Bribie
Island before and there is only one previous accepted sighting of Kelp Gull.
As it so happens, I live near the location of the sightings and I was contacted
late Monday afternoon with advice that possible sightings of 2 Pacific Gulls
and 1 Kelp Gull had been made either on Sunday 26 th or Monday 27 th. I was
told that the person/s making the sightings were reasonably sure of their
identifications but wished to have confirmation. A couple of hours later I was
sent reasonably good digital photos, taken early Monday afternoon, of one of
the Pacific Gulls and the Kelp Gull and was asked if I could try to get some
better shots of the three gulls. It was too late that day for me to do that but
I was able to get photos of the Pacific Gulls Tuesday morning and the Kelp Gull
early Tuesday afternoon.
I was examining and processing the images for passing on to trusted experts for
confirmation when I was contacted by phone by Paul Walbridge who was, by chance
I believe, at that time on Bribie Island and had just seen one of the Pacific
Gulls. Obviously in an act of courtesy and good will he wanted to alert me to
the presence of that gull as he was aware of the significance of such a
sighting. I informed him that I had just been out getting photographs of the
bird and told him that there was a second Pacific Gull and that there was also
a Kelp Gull nearby. I gave him the details of the location of the Kelp Gull.
Paul asked me if I had informed Birding-Aus and I told him that I was not the
person who had found the gulls and I was not inclined to do the reporting. It
has always been my principle not to claim or report such sightings if I have
not been the original observer but, rather, to allow the original observer the
honour and pleasure of doing the reporting. In this case it was my
understanding that the original observer was waiting for confirmation of the
identities of the gulls. In my opinion it is always best if the person who made
the original sighting does the reporting as there is more chance the report
will be accurate. If the original observer makes it clear they don’t wish to
submit a report then it would seem reasonable to me for another person who has
actually seen the bird/s to then submit a report.
Considering the sort length of time that had passed I think it is somewhat
unfair to suggest that “news doesn't seem to filter out from Bribie - perhaps
because it's an island?!”.
Or perhaps that doesn’t satisfy the instant-gratification junkies modern
technology seems to be spawning.
Or perhaps some birders thrive on rumour?
So here’s a couple of rumours. Rumour 1: In a discussion I had this afternoon
(Wed 29th) I was advised of a possible sighting of an Adult Pacific Gull
(additional to the two first year Pacific Gulls already reported) at Bongaree,
Bribie Island.
Rumour 2: In the same discussion I was advised of a possible second Kelp Gull
also at Bongaree, Bribie Island.
Those two new birds were said to have been first sighted this afternoon, Wed 29
th May.
I must advise that I was unable to find either of these birds but the two first
year Pacific Gulls were still on display this afternoon. I did not see the
original Kelp Gull today.
Bob Inglis
Sandstone Point
Qld
“Pied Butcherbird Central”
Sent from my personally assembled desktop PC.
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