Big bird

[stephbg]

A while ago leecetheartist posted a possible albatross sighting in Perth. Last week I saw another possible candidate, near the Cedric Street offramp of the freeway (heading for Ikea perhaps?). Basically seagull-shaped but *humungous* and definitely pointy wingtips. Wings longer in proportion to bodylength than a seagull.

Was it ever established that an albatross sighting was feasible in Perth? It was just after some strong southerlies, which might have helped to blow it in.

Comments

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

I saw a pelican soaring about from the corner of Cedric and Odin on Sunday morning. I imagine it was over Herdsman Lake or something.

*skeptical about the possibly of an albatross*

Closest to the mainland that I've seen a live albatross was about 10km past Rottnest, heading west.

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Pelican was the backup assumption, although I looked as carefully as I could at the beak (not huge) and the wingtips (pointy). However, birdie was quite high and I was supposed to be looking at the freeway (oh, did I not mention I was doing 100kmh?). It's entirely possible I wouldn't have been able to see the flight feathers properly. I'm also more accustomed to seeing pelicans at lower altitude, with their wings not quite so stretched as for soaring. And with friends, come to think of it.

Still, was hopeful of the possibility of an albatross :-)

[leecetheartist.livejournal.com]

What I saw definitely weren't pelicans.

Maybe great big bloody petrels...very albatross looking, but I too am skeptical about albs.

But they had such narrow wings...

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

I'll take a big petrel.