MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

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Clinton9
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Clinton9 » Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:38 pm

This is 2 year old old adult bird in adult plumage, as few adult Laughing gulls do have immature patterns in primary coverts and alula feathers.
After next moulting season, it will look like adult Laughing gulls with no immature patterns.
Stress during flying across the sea from South America, to New Zealand, for few days to a week plus starvation while flying over sea, followed by moulting, with P.10th not fully grown until early March, caused the outer primary coverts and alula feathers to take on immature patterns.
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Tim Barnard
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Tim Barnard » Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:47 pm

Did a flying visit passed all the reliable Laughing Gull locations and no sign of it today. That said, I didn't put a huge amount of time into searching the gaps between.
Hopefully we just missed each other.
Cheers
Tim
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Tim Barnard
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Tim Barnard » Thu Mar 02, 2017 9:15 am

Stopped by on Monday and yesterday on my way to and from Gisborne. No sign at any of the usual sites, wharf, picnic site or the beach. Didn't look at Ohiwa.
Cheers
Tim
Colin Miskelly
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Colin Miskelly » Tue Mar 07, 2017 11:34 am

Hi all

The Records Appraisal Committee has unanimously accepted David Riddell & Annette Taylor's Unusual Bird Report, and so laughing gull can be added to the New Zealand list:

http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2017/03/07/a-new-bird-for-new-zealand-laughing-gull/

Congratulations David & Annette!

Has anyone seen it since Waitangi Day? It should be looking pretty by now if still around.

Cheers
Colin
Davidthomas
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Davidthomas » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:14 am

The bird wasn't present on the morning of the 5th for the five to ten minutes I had to check. It also wasn't present near dark the evening of the 4th.
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:14 pm

I have done a bit of pruning of recent posts. Please keep it factual and friendly. Thanks.
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RussCannings
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby RussCannings » Sat Mar 18, 2017 9:26 pm

Checked Opotiki Wharf and Te Ahiaua Reserve for about 15 minutes a piece this avo (March 18) with no sign of the Laugher. Also scoped Ohiwa Harbour for around an hour. Could still easily be around as I didn't check the beaches.

What WAS present at Opotiki Wharf though was a lovely White Heron (Great Egret). Perhaps the bird from Thornton Lagoon? (Which wasn't there today or Thursday).

Russ C
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Grahame
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Grahame » Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:17 am

Back last evening after three 10 hour days searching up and down the coast for the Laughing Gull with no sign. I wish I could remain optimistic, but after spending so long looking I find it difficult, but you never know.
Clinton9
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Clinton9 » Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:57 pm

I think this gull, being so well fed, on chicken meats, plus insects, then small fish, enough to fattening while its primaries 10th were less than 100cm, and when primaries 8th were fully grown, decided to fly back to southern west USA to moult into breeding plumage.
It would stop on way to fishing for food if it find fish several times.
Several Black-headed gulls (larus ridibundus) migrated southward from northern Europe to southern west Europe, while primaries 9th and 10th are not fully grown, and few Baltic Lesser black-backed gulls (larus fuscus fuscus) migrating south to Africa, with primaries 1st and 2nd not fully grown.
These gulls have several staging areas during southward migration.
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: MEGA Laughing Gull - Te Ahiaua Reserve

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Thu Mar 30, 2017 6:43 pm

FWIW, I had a look at Waiotahi reserve and a couple of other spots around Opotiki and around Uretara island today as i was in the area and saw no unusual gull.

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