New bird for the Spit: Kelp Gull

Along with the rest of Australia we conduct regular high tide counts at the highest tides of the month and record for the Birdlife Shorebird 2020 program.

Today I noted a Kelp Gull up at the Bonnie Vale end of the Spit. I have seen them out at Boat Harbour before, but not on Deeban Spit.

We still have 21 eastern curlews using the area and this month they will be furiously eating up to prepare for their big trip north. Each year gets more perilous. There is land reclamation in the Yellow Sea to deal with .Climate change sometimes sees the insect boom that they are counting on to feed their newly hatched chicks in the Arctic starting to happen before they arrive for nesting. Let's hope Maianbarbarians can do their part and let them feed and rest undisturbed to give them their very best chance for this first part of a very critical leg.