Laughing gull sighting a serious birder's delight

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Birders have flocked to Mossel Bay from as far as Gauteng since Monday 7 February to celebrate what is according to birding experts a most rare occasion.

This unusual event constitutes the first ever sighting of a laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) in South Africa. The bird, named for its laugh-like call, is found in North and South America.

"This bird mostly migrates around the Gulf of Mexico," explains Mossel Bay birdwatcher Rudi Minnie. The gull was spotted by a birdwatcher, Don Reid, who went for a swim at Santos Beach on Sunday 6 February.

He identified it as a Franklin's gull, which is in itself a most rare sight on South African shores. After sharing the find with a local birdwatching group, questions about the true identity of the bird arose.

The first photograph of the gull was taken by Edwin Polden on Monday morning.

Photo gallery: Rare bird for our country, spotted in Mossel Bay

"We contacted bird expert, Trevor Hardeker, who sensed that something truly unique had been seen. He asked us to photograph the bird in flight, specifically the upper side of the wings for identification purposes."

The bird was then identified as the laughing gull.

"As soon as news of the sighting broke, the first birdwatchers from Gauteng boarded a plane at 10:00 [on Monday] and at 13:00, they were chasing around town to find the laughing gull," Minnie told the Mossel Bay Advertiser.

On Tuesday morning, a large group of bird watchers were seen at the Point to photograph the gull. It is believed that it may have lost its way in bad weather.

This laughing gull on South African shores, the first to be spotted in our country, was captured on camera by George bird watcher, Julinda Aucamp.