Black-billed Gulls Nesting in the City

I had heard about the most threatened gull on Earth has set up a colony in a derelict Christchurch city centre site. I didn't know I was going into the city this evening otherwise I would have taken my camera. Sadly I only had my phone.

If you look closely on the left just above the purple flowers you can see a little one. 

About 300 black-billed gulls, tarāpuka, have established a colony with about 130 nests in the half demolished and flooded foundations of a former office block on Armagh St.
The birds, which can only be found in New Zealand, are nesting on the concrete beams, mating and washing in a flooded basement surrounded by protective fences.

Department of Conservation (DOC) chief science advisor Ken Hughey said it was "extremely rare" for the gulls to set up a colony in a city.

Here  is a link to tell you all about them. 


I have put up all my blips from Akaroa if you would like to see them.