Clive rang one day in the middle of May to ask, “… why are there so many small white feathers stranded at the tide line?” I replied that I, too, had been pondering the long ribbons of white lacing the shores of Eastern View, the George, and North Lorne.

Indeed, on the very morning of his call, I had spotted a very dishevelled gannet squatting in the lee of a rock at Spout Creek while walking Blighty. I had wondered whether the bird was injured or simply old and dying a lonely death at the edge of its ocean, its feathers literally falling off, but as it had gone without a trace on my return leg, I thought no more of it.

Had there been some cataclysmic seabird battle beyond the horizon? Perhaps it was a harbinger of some horrible gull ‘die-off’! Thinking there must be a more plausible explanation and deciding that a natural seasonal moult-a-thon ticked all the boxes, I sought the basis for moulting.

All birds fully moult once a year—indeed, some species even undergo a second, partial moult as they replace their old feathers with new, snuggly ones. The timing of this annual [or bi-annual] moult varies subtly between species and between land and sea birds, with land birds typically moulting in late summer, while many seabird species take a later cue and moult as autumn wanes into winter.

My guess, Clive—and it is only a guess—is that this year’s sudden flurry of seabird feathers at the tideline suggests the gulls may have been caught on the hop by this year’s long, warm ‘Indian summer’. Then, facing a ‘whoopsie moment’ when the first Antarctic blast hit late in May, they shared a mass ‘shed-a-thon’ as they scrambled to play ‘catch up’ and prepare for winter.

Unlike during the breeding season, when they are tied to nesting colonies on land, many seabirds spend the non-breeding season entirely on the open ocean, where they undergo the energy-sapping process of replacing old feathers with new, healthy ones. Made of keratin [like human hair and nails], feathers slowly degrade due to sun, weather, and daily preening and must be shed and replaced. This process provides warmer, more colourful plumage that helps maintain efficient flight and proper insulation and restores their vibrant breeding colours.

Feathers are usually shed in mirrored pairs, with matching feathers dropping in unison from both the left and right wings, body, and tail. During peak moulting, birds may look patchy, unkempt, and bald around the head, and may seem slightly irritable and fatigued from the stress of the process.

Feathers are a creation of sublime beauty, their evolutionary design blending aesthetic brilliance with practical function. Each feather is an engineering masterpiece—lightweight yet strong, providing a smooth, wind-resistant surface for flight, a waterproof barrier against the elements, and help in regulating body temperature.

The beauty of feathers spans a multitude of human dimensions, from art and creativity to the identification of groups, clans, and tribes. Their almost limitless colours and hues are used by different societies to denote purity, peace, and angelic presence [white], strength, protection, and inner wisdom [black], happiness, joy, and prosperity [yellow], or passion, vitality, and courage [red]—the colours often carrying different meanings for differing cultures and acquiring deep spiritual significance.

Feather colour depends on two characteristics: pigment and structure. Melanin, a pigment that provides earthy browns and blacks [as in human skin], also increases structural strength, while carotenoids [think carrots] produce vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Colour also depends on the feather’s microscopic structure, which bends and refracts light like a prism, and produces the shimmering hues we see in lyrebird or peacock plumage.

Evolution has resulted in several specific feather ‘designs’:

Some—long, stiff, and asymmetrical—generate lift and thrust for flight, while others—soft, fluffy, and unstructured—trap air and provide insulation against the cold.
Outer feathers are contoured to enhance aerodynamics, while their colours help camouflage them from predators.
Yet others flaunt a Mae West ‘come-up-and-see-me-sometime’ factor that promotes mate attraction and aids breeding.

Feathers carry deep spiritual significance across almost every human culture. They symbolise flight and freedom, embody higher wisdom, or—like the dove—convey a sense of communication with the divine.

In ancient Egypt, the ‘Feather of Truth’ was weighed against a human soul in the afterlife.
Native Americans, believing an eagle’s feather represents courage and strength, use them in ceremonies as prayer sticks or dreamcatchers, with the latter now hanging in countless windows or from rear-view mirrors.
For an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, feathers represent a connection to Country and the ancestors, adorn traditional ceremonial attire, and play a central role in Indigenous storytelling.
European cultures prominently displayed feathers on crests and helmets, signifying social status, prestige, and bravery.
As a sad historical contrast, the white feather acquired a very different, judgmental, and pejorative meaning during the First World War, when, if sent by mail or left [cowardly unidentified] in a recipient’s belongings, it was intended to accuse a conscientious objector of cowardice for refusing to fight for King and Country.

To satisfy Clive’s curiosity, I can only conclude [though it is conjecture at best] that our recent shoreline ‘Feather-geddon’ was nothing but a seabird moult.

Postscript: The ‘feathered shore’ described in this article occurred in mid-May. The first report that the H1N5 avian virus [bird ‘flu] had been isolated in Western Australia from a sick migratory seabird [a brown Skua] did not emerge until June 20th, and even then, it was from the other side of the continent. While a total of four H1N5-carrying birds have now been confirmed [as of 28/6/26], there is no suggestion that ‘Feather-geddon’ was anything but a natural [if not a little unusual] shedding event. So, before any conspiracy theory hares are set running, let me scotch that idea here and now.

But … those who regularly walk our beaches should read the excellent H1N5 avian virus guideline at https://tinyurl.com/h5avianflu and have a low threshold for:

Reporting any clusters (5 or more) of sick or dead wild birds of any species, anywhere in Victoria, by calling the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888, or using the online Wildlife Disease Report form at https://tinyurl.com/ybr82ehf.
Reporting any sick or dead penguins or pelicans, birds of prey (e.g. hawk, owl, eagle), black swans, or marine mammals (e.g. seal, sea lion, dolphin).

John Agar

Feature Writer

A word from the chairman

Hello

Having recently celebrated a semi-significant birthday has caused me to reflect on life, ageing and living in Lorne. As we grow older, our conversations turn to ailments and aches, but with advances in medicine and surgery the conversation often turns to stents, bypasses and whether our new hip, shoulder or knee joints will set off the metal detector at the airport!

Thinking about it has also reminded me of the concept of “Blue Zones”. The concept was first raised in 2004 in an article about centenarians living in Sardinia, Italy. Subsequently a National Geographic author, Dan Buettner, highlighted Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California and Costa Rica as places where people lived longer and more healthily than average. The longevity and vitality of the residents of these regions has been attributed to a healthy diet of fruit and vegetables, plenty of physical exercise, prioritising family and community and not smoking. Drinking in moderation, not eating too much, managing stress, having a purpose in life, dedication to religion and good genes were other factors mentioned.

When I look at Lorne, I see many of these factors in play. Our natural environment encourages us to get outdoors. Our intrepid mermaids of all ages brave the elements through all seasons for their morning dip. Our bike riders, many well into their seventies, are out and about most mornings, and our golfers take on the challenging terrain of our golf course weekly. There are plenty of community activities to participate in, and no reason to stress (not even traffic lights!).

*****

There are many important organisations in Lorne which contribute in many ways to our community, but none can match the impact of our fabulous Op Shop. In the year to 30 June 2026, the shop has donated an incredible $350,000 to community projects, including $157,000 to our hospital and Great Ocean Road Health and $75,000 to our school for a new bus to enable students from outlying areas to attend the school. What a wonderful organisation we have where all goods are donated and all workers are volunteers. Congratulations and thanks to Janet Goud, her Committee and all Op Shop members and donors.

*****

Last week, 26 of our golfers headed to Club Barham on the Murray for our annual golf trip. We experienced a mixture of weather, golfing skills and social events, but good fun was had by all, with many players walking 36 holes over two days. Well done!

Our netballers and footballers travelled to Apollo Bay last weekend. Despite our neighbours putting on some nasty weather, all our football teams had resounding wins with an average winning margin of 78 points over the 5 teams, and our netballers won 3 of 6 matches with a resounding 48 goal win to our A Grade team. This weekend, our teams travel to Western Oval in Colac to take on Colac Imperials. This is a top of the table clash for our Senior footballers and they will need all our support. Please get there if you can.

Cheers