There was only one reason for driving the 320Km to Cape Leeuwin in the south west corner of Australia
and THIS was it, Larus Pacificus with any sub-adult birds being of particular interest.
I
don't ever remember another Gull with proportionately such a colossal
bill, even though Cape Gull has a big and possibly 'longer' one I doubt
its of this size?
Standing on the very tip of FLINDER'S BAY, the
Cape is the only place I had previously seen this mighty Gull, but on
that visit in 2007 only a single adult, in flight, was seen during a 2
weeks stay. There had been much to see on the way down, but all focus
was on
PACIFIC GULL
that all else seemed to go by the board.
Nearing
the destination, it was no more than a hunch to alter course to port
and visit the caravan camp, often good for birds generally, which paid
off a treat! A Gull that takes 4 years to mature, at this single site
there were, along with a few adults, examples of
First Winter
and as the Field Guide describes altogether paler Second Winter birds
The camp proved productive with a few other sightings including
INLAND THORNBIRD (wot, on the coast?)
SOOTY OYSTERCATCHER
a CATERPILLAR
a distant AUSTRALIAN KESTREL
along with WHITE-WINGED FAIRY-WREN, WHITE-FRONTED CHAT and what looked every bit like BOTTLE-NOSED DOLPHIN
Eventually I managed to pull myself away from the new found 'hot spot' to drive the remaining few miles to
where stands a commemorative plaque to Captain Matthew Flinders RN the
distinguished navigator and
cartographer, who was first to circumnavigate Australia and identify
it as a continent. Most sailors will be familiar with the name after
his innovation to place a vertical 'soft iron' bar, in a tube on the
fore side of a compass binnacle. The Flinders bar is used to counteract
the vertical magnetism inherent within a ship and is usually calibrated
as part of the process known as swinging the compass, (my
'winger' Captain Lifton will know all about that - he made his fortune
doing it) where deviations caused by this magnetism are negated by the
use of horizontal (or quadrantal) correctors. Couldn't have put it
better myself!
CAPE LEEUWIN LIGHTHOUSE seen from the north.
None will be
more pleased than I to be waking up to a Post this morning. I do feel
rather like Ban Ki-moon (Secretary-General of the United Nations) this
morning having been in long negotiations to get something of a
permanent Internet Access. In addition, my new approach to the Google F.U.
also seems to be working, but maybe a little early to start 'crowing'
just yet. I now hope to be with you until the end of the trip - whenever
that is! KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED - Thanks.
