Gulls: final appearance

Most wildlife photography enthusiasts consider gulls too common to photograph. Not me...

above: juv. Pacific Gull, Tasmania

above: Crested Tern, Tasmania

above: Silver Gull, Tasmania

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

above: juv. Kelp Gull, Tasmania

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

above: Silver Gull, Tasmania

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

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Little Wattlebird and other random images

As we steadily progress towards the final post in this bloG, I'm trying to go through all my old photos and find any images from the last year that are worth posting.

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Vertical shots

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

I somehow subconsciously avoid posting vertical photos on this bloG. They don't fit as nicely on the pages as the horizontal ones. Here is a random collection of such vertical photos. The only common thing about them is the format.

above: Welcome Swallow, NSW

above: Laughing Kookaburra, NSW

above: Black Swan, NSW

above: Long-billed Corella, Tasmania

above: Flying Fox, NSW

above:White-faced Heron, NSW

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Photographic memory: Pacific Gull in Sandy Bay

Pacific Gull, Tasmania

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Photographic memory: Silver Gulls at the docks

Silver Gulls in Hobart, Tasmania

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Variety

above: juv. Pacific Gull, Tasmania

above: Grey Fantail, Tasmania

above: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Tasmania

above: Purple Swamphen, Tasmania

above: Suberb Blue Wren, eclipse male

above: juv. Blackbird, Tasmania

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Low tide

above: Crested Terns, Tasmania

above: Silver Gulls, Tasmania

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Kelp and Pacific, young and grown up

Mick at Sandy Straits and Beyond wrote earlier today about spotting a Kelp Gull. As Kelp and Pacific Gulls are very rare visitors up North, but are quite common here, on Tasmania, I decided to do a comparative post with some images taken over the last year and a half and illustrating the differences between the two types of big gulls and also the different 'clothes' they wear during different stages of their lives. The pattern of this post is Kelp, Pacific, Kelp, Pacific...

Pacific Gulls are slightly bigger than Kelp. According to the Slater Field Guide Pacific are 63cm, while Kelp are 57cm. Visually Pacific look a bit more massive and heavy, but not longer. Another very obvious difference is the bill. In Pacific it is more massive and both mandibles have red tips, while in Kelp only the tip of the lower mandible is tinted red. The tail of Pacific Gull ends with a black crescent, visible in flight, while the tail in Kelp is purely white.

above: juv. Kelp Gull

above: juv. Pacific Gull

above: young Kelp Gull

above: immature Pacific Gull

above: Kelp Gull

above: Pacific Gull

above: Kelp Gull

above: Pacific Gull

One last thing to add is that I think that Kelp Gull have the most beautiful Gull call that I have ever heard.

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Low tide

Today the tide was very low and there was a lot of activity on the beach. Unfortunately, it was drizzling most of the time and I had to keep the camera safe under the jacket.

above: Silver Gull, Tasmania

above: Pied Oystercatcher, Masked Lapwing, Tasmania

above: This is the first time I see a Silver Gull catch a fish.

above: Masked Lapwing, Tasmania

above: Little Pied Cormorant, Tasmania

above: A patrolling parent. Kelp Gull, Tasmania

above: a cute baby Kelp Gull, Tasmania

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Gulls

above: Kelp Gull, Tasmania

above: Kelp Gull attacked by much smaller Silver Gull, Tasmania

above: Silver Gull, Tasmania

above: Kelp and Silver Gulls, Tasmania

above: Pacific Gull, Tasmania

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