Possible Franklin's gull - Manukau Harbour

[Graham Saunders]

Shane, a little bird has told me it's better to try in the morning...

[iain johnson]

Well folks, the big guns have been and gone......after Brent bagged (not literally) the gull this week, Steve Wood flew in today from Nelson, the lateness of his twitching trip explained by the length of time that it took the carrier SIPO to deliver the news to Nelson!

So I picked up Steve at 9am from AKL airport and headed straight to Bruce Pulman Park, fully expecting the gull to sat in the car park. However, upon arrival it was nowhere to be seen, nor was it in the fields, and a search of the surrounding playing fields did not reveal its whereabouts either. So we headed for Ardmore, which also drew a blank. We returned to Bruce Pulman but the only thing we 'ticked' was 'southey surveyus'!!

So after a quick chat we decided to take a break and headed off to Karaka with plans to return later. About half an hour after we arrived, as we searched the godwits and knots, Steve suddenly shouts "I've got the Franklins Gull." Unfortunately it was in the heat haze by the time I got on it, having already been reasonably distant and looked to be just off Weymouth when we lost it.

So anyone, i.e. Graham, fancying their chances tomorrow, the Manukau side of Weymouth may be worth a look. Interesting that it should return to the Manukau, maybe its been returning the estuary on a regular basis and its just fortunate that most birders have seen it in the park (Graham excepted of course).

So after a brilliant, slightly nervy day, i returned Steve back to airport a somewhat relieved man!

[Neil Fitzgerald]

This morning I checked out a few spots, Keith Park, Weymouth Park, Weymouth Domain from about 7:30. I couldn't see the gull there so back to Bruce Pulman but nothing here either. There is a flock of petrol-heads in the car park though, and numbers steadily rising. If I was Frank I wouldn't be here.
Good luck Graham. Maybe Brent's keen eye will pick it up when he comes through later today.
N.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Brent phoned just after 1pm to say he was leaving Bruce Pulman and Frank had been there.

[Graham Saunders]

Pulling into Bruce Pulman at 9 am this morning I was stopped by a big bloke with a Merv Hughes moustache asking me what I was doing. When I said I was going for a walk to look around he charged me $5 to park. The offending sea rat wasn't present so I strolled cursing around the park, and when I was on the opposite side three gulls appeared flying by the entrance. Two black-backs and something smaller but clearly not a Red-bill. Quick sprint.. ahem ... strole through the assembled ranks of fifty-year old technology that middle-aged men with Merv Hughes moustaches find alluring, and the bird was by his island having a good preen. After twenty minutes he flew around the park and landed by some gravelly puddles close to the aircraft hanger near the housing estate. After being serenaded ('Lord Franklin', badly) by me (cloth-ears) and offered bread (declined) he up and went. He flew off in the direction of the aerodrome going out of sight at 9.50 am.

[siouxp]

on my way back from Miranda yesterday i called in to sight 'frank' at bruce pulman park. arrived about 3.30pm and there he was sat in the pond by entrance having an afternoon siesta with the mallards. he had a bit of a fly around picked up a snack and was back on his little island looking fairly established when i headed north again.

[GarySetterfield]

Frank, again in Bruce Pulman park today at 1.00pm. Firstly on the netball court and then flew over to the road to gorge on some discarded KFC fries, man, that birds got no taste!

[philbattley]

If anyone see the Franklin's gull between now and Monday night could you please post the info here. Rich Seaton & I will be driving from Auckland to Hamilton first thing Tuesday morning and will pop in to BP Park for a check.

Cheers, Phil

[Neil Fitzgerald]

The gull is on the netball courts right now. Loosely with a few black-backs.
It seems uninterested in the four loaves of bread that have just been delivered to the mallards and black-backs.
Blokarts have infested the carpark, and rugby-heads the field, but neither are charging for birdwatching

[Peter Frost]

I am passing through Auckland on Saturday afternoon (24th October) and have a couple of hours stopover at the airport. I'd appreciate any update on the whereabouts of this bird this week (especially over the past couple of days), as I'd like to try tracking it down. Many thanks.

Peter Frost