Silver Gull watching the sky from Fort Denison in the middle of Sydney Harbour. This bandit lives on the edge occupying what was once Sydney's place of punishment named 'Pinchgut', referring to the meagre rations the convicts were fed or an old nautical term describing the island's position in the harbour channel. In 1842, the island was later transformed into a level gun battery, then in 1857 was renamed Fort Denison with a circular martello tower and cannons ready for battle. Today, the Silver Gull reads the tides and skywatches through the salt spray and wind; standing on one leg from an old battle wound.More photographs of the Harbour and Fort at PhotographyAnonymous.
47 comments:
It's a Jail Bird to many of you :) This post has been entered for SKY WATCH FRIDAY!
Der sky ist shisen.
That's true Albrecht von Trappa, the sky is shit! If it was beautiful and blue everyday we wouldn't appreciate it after what the sky has been lately in Sydney, Australia ;)
very beautiful catch, excellent.
I like your Jail Bird, the sky, surroundings and the history of the location. Nice shots for such an overcast day.
Your photo blog is rock'n! It IS a nice little town isn't it.
Although the shots are nice, I'm not sure the one-legged governor of Fort Denison there is anything more than a winged rat.
Thankyou so much Daniel J Santos :) He's not bad looking for a convict ;)
Heeheee, it's been overcast for so long I didn't have much choice other than post 'grey spray' for skywatching this week, Pat :) Thanks!
HEEHEE!! Sydneytown would be better with pleasant weather G3TFilms :) The 'Governor' is in fact a convict and knows rats well ;)
Seagulls are such food bandits ~ jail the perfect place for him!
The top one is plain gorgeous! And this gull seems to be dancing for you, huh?
Good ones!
Cheers, Klaus
Hhehee, you've had a Hitchcock experience Me&MyPuppies, I can tell ;)
This Silvergull was indeed posing and doing the Hop, Klaus :) Thanks!
I thought he was injured before I read your post. I like sea gulls, they poop on people. SPLAT!!!
Watch out for Silvergull Ces! He has to surpass the other gulls' bad reputations! *SPLAT*!* *SPLAT*!*
Nice pics and I especially like the interesting perspective of the post on the first one. You look like you might have been eye level to the bird. I enjoyed the bit of Sydney history you gave as well. This California girl was just at Fort Ross a couple of weeks ago. It was occupied in the mid 19C by the Russians on the, what else?, Russian River in CA on the coast.
OH!!!! It was the Crimean War between Russia and England which promoted Sydney building Fort Denison, Annie! We were afraid of being attacked by France and America - but it never happened :)
Gorgeous shots of this handsome mariner, Anon - lovely and crisp, makes him look alot more valuable than we generally consider a seagull - if you know what I mean....I think I need a latte - want one?
Thank you Lavender! He is Long John Silvergull which puts him above the rest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum with our lattes?
I liked that you spelt "penitentiary" the Australian way on your post. The history of Sydney Harbour is fascinating, isn't it? I once had an aim to set foot on all 9 islands - but did not get far!
Excellent pictures.. love the term 'bandit' for the gull.. loved also the humour... As a self confessed 'fatty'.. I do not like the sound of 'Pinchgut'
Thank you for being a part of Sky Watch this week, your post and comments are much appreciated.
Tom ;O)
I can't find where I wrote 'penetentiary' but thanks for writing it Julie! A lot of visitors won't know what a "gaol" is :) Hoping to visit Shark, Clark, Rodd then Goat Islands next but might wait until spring time ;)
Oh no Tom! HAHA, I promise not to pinch your gut and you're lucky to have more rations than the convicts did! Thanks for hosting Skywatch Friday :) I almost wrote Fry-day because it's dinnertime here!
I thought a gaol was short for gay old bird. Hahahaha!
Bouncing around, visiting your sites. Nice work! I love to see photos of Australia. Thanks for stopping by to visit me, I'll be dropping by more often to see more of your work. Happy skywatch to you too!
Hhehhee Ces, you need to practise speaking Australian and could have ended up in gaol here, for making a mistake like that! HHHAAAHA :)
Hello Sandy, thanks for your note :) Thankyou for taking the time to bounce around and I'll see you again! It's growing close to Saturday here, so Happy Skywatching Weekend!!
I love gulls! Those pure white feathers and the way they fly above the water. This one looks so content in all that rain! What a rainy time in the harbor you've had -- I've enjoyed the photos on both sites. :) Happy weekend!
I love seagulls, and I love all these shots. I truly feel like I am having a wonderful trip around the world today.
not a gull fan, but do sympathize with injured critters
thx for the history lesson, too :)
I love to watch the seagulls. This one posed nicely for you. Too bad about his foot.
I know Melissa! Thanks for looking at both blogs :) It will be a rainy weekend no doubt!
Thanks MentalPMama! Nothing like going around the world in one day!
The Silvergull is an old battleaxe Laughingwolf! Well fed by tourists :)
He was a great poser Sandpiper! The injury was old and he's doing fine :)
Tough old bird, eh?
It looks like it owns the place.
This is one of the nicer posts I have seen today.
Something different from me
Better Blog Writing
these are all so very lovely, too difficult to choose a favorite. Great job - happy SWF :)
Great series.
Fantastic! :)
Interesting -- looks like he's doing a little dance on that one foot...
nice bird shots have nice weekend
i know and love gulls. even though they do "find" me overhead (underneath?) every so often.
the best part of this post: lavender's comment! i am delighted!!
Poor poppet with his gammy leg! I'm ashamed to say I have never been to pinchgut . . .I only seem to venture to places like that when I have an overseas visitor and want to show the place off. Must add it to my 'list'
Tough old bird Debra Kay :) Errrmmm not you unless you want to be ;)
He DOES own the place Chrome3D!
Thankyou Abraham Lincoln, Lingovise, Ida and Esnorway :))))
He's doing the HOP AphotoAday!
How many times have you been shit on KJ? Sheeeesh it took you long enough to notice Lavender... search through the posts below! *PooP*
I'd never been to Pinchgut either Baino! This last year we've been making a point of visiting all those 'tourist' destinations. There is a lot to see in Sydney! Good one to add to your list but wait until spring time when it's pleasantly warmer :)
Must be a cousin of my one-legged seagull... :) How strange the colour of it's bill.... for moi!
Yes MerlinPrincesse, Silver Gulls in Australia have red bills!
lol ...sly as a fox, that one ;)
These are great! I love the way he is standing on one leg, poised for a quick getaway, maybe?
The gull looks like a bird statue:) Very nice shot!
Petunia's SWF
An expert at alfresco dining LaughingWolf :)
Perhaps a quick getaway if it wasn't for the continual rations thrown at the convict by tourists, Angie :)
He does look statuesque Petunia! Thanks :)
Please explain to my how they balance on one foot for such an extended period of time! Impossibly, I say!
Wonderful SWF photos!
Wings and spread-eagled toes help and they get lots of practise 'balancing' when flying. Thanks Tsannie :)
What an interesting post. I always feel bad when I see an injured bird in the wild. I want to help and it makes me feel so helpless. He seems to be weathering the storm and the injury just fine, though. Great idea for Skywatch!
Hello Kathiesbirds :) That's a very old 'injury' which had healed well but lost the formal length of the leg. He's a tough Silvergull! Thanks :)
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