Nice pose for a Silver Gull
Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia
Earlier this week my wife and I celebrated another anniversary. My – how the years have flown by. We always try to do something special for our anniversary and agreed that the weather was suitable for a long drive and a picnic, finished by dinner at a favourite restaurant. After an early morning chat on the phone with our grandchildren, we set off towards Milang, which is about 50 kilometres from our home. We stopped at the local bakery to buy our lunch, a Cornish pasty each, and a large lamington to share.
We took our lunch down to the shore of Lake Alexandrina and had a picnic lunch on the lawns there. The largest river system in Australia, The Murray-Darling Basin, flows into this large lake, which in turn empties into the Southern Ocean near Goolwa. While we ate our lunch we watched some children playing with their dogs and on the playground. I took note of the birds I could see or hear, but things were rather quiet on that front – until someone disturbed a large flock of very noisy Little Corellas nearby. I have often thought that I would like to stay in the local caravan park right next to the lake, but I concluded that you would not need an alarm clock; the parrots would see that you woke at dawn, or even at first light.
From Milang we drove on towards Goolwa and explored Hindmarsh Island – but I will write about that part another day. Later in the afternoon, we stopped at Horseshoe Bay, Pt Elliot. This small town on the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula is a popular holiday destination, being just over an hour’s drive from Adelaide. We stopped for a cuppa and some homemade biscuits in the car park at the lookout. I parked so that we had a great view over the bay. In South Australian history, this spot is quite important. Encounter Bay, which stretches for some distance to the south-east, was where English explorer Captain Matthew Flinders and the French explorer Nicolas Baudin met in April 1802.
While we were having our cuppa, a solitary Silver Gull settled on an interpretive sign just in front of our car. It obligingly posed for a series of photos which I am sharing here today. Silver Gulls are the most common gull found all around the coastline of Australia. It can also be seen far inland where suitable bodies of water exist, such as river systems, lakes, reservoirs and swamps. It can be very common in large numbers at rubbish tips, ovals, picnic grounds and beaches.
Further reading:
Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia
Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia
Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia
One legged Silver Gull at Horseshoe Bay
One legged Silver Gull, Horseshoe Bay, South Australia
Every now and then I see a gull with part of a leg missing. The birds with this disability were probably attached by a fish or shark at some stage. Despite not being totally intact, they seem to manage quite well.
On a recent visit to the south coast of South Australia – Horseshoe Bay near Victor Harbor, we saw the gull featured above with only one leg. again, it seemed to be in top notch health and coping really well.
Below I have included a few more photos of Silver Gulls taken at the same time. This continues my photographic fascination with this very common species.
Silver Gull, Horseshoe Bay, South Australia
Silver Gull, Horseshoe Bay, South Australia
A groovy pair of gulls
Silver Gulls, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Sydney Trip Report June 2011
On our trip to Sydney earlier this year we visited Darling Harbour in the heart of Sydney. Many people were gathered there for the Jazz and Blue Festival. In addition to the human audience, these two Silver Gulls seemed to be enjoying the free music too.
In addition to the many Silver Gulls around the harbour, I also saw plenty of White Ibis, Australian Ravens, Rock Doves and those pesky Common Mynas.
This just proves the versatility of this hobby called birding; you can watch birds anywhere.
Sometimes, I feel that the birds are watching us!
Silver Gulls, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Jazz & Blues Festival, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Pacific Gulls, Pondalowie Bay
Pacific Gulls
We briefly visited Pondalowie Bay on Yorke Peninsula on our recent holiday. It was nearing the end of a wild and windy day. Not many birds were showing themselves along the beach or nearby headlands. I did see some cormorants, several Sooty Oystercatchers and the inevitable Silver Gulls.
Also present were two Pacific Gulls, soaring overhead on the wild gale force winds. I managed a shot of the two overhead flying in perfect synchronised formation. Annoyingly the shot out of focus. Bother!
It’s not good enough to show here, so I’ve included a photo of two sitting on a rock (see above). That shot was taken at Victor Harbor back in January. By way of apology I’ve included several scenery shots of wave action below.
Pondalowie Bay, Yorke Peninsula
Pondalowie Bay, Yorke Peninsula
Silver Gull eating a rabbit
Silver Gulls, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Silver Gulls are the most common species of gull in Australia. They are found in all coastal regions around Australia as well as far inland near to water courses and lakes. Here in my home town of Murray Bridge in South Australia they are quite common along the River Murray which is about 4 kilometres from my home.
Last Saturday morning on my way down to the CBD of the town I needed to avoid hitting a Silver Gull feeding on, of all things, a dead rabbit in the middle of the road near our place. Silver Gulls are known for their scavenging habits, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen one eating a rabbit.
I didn’t have my camera with me at the time. My readers are probably relieved for that; the dead rabbit was not a pretty sight!