There has been a lot of buzz on the local bird list, Massbird, about an Ivory Gull in Gloucester. Too far of a drive for me. Yesterday there were solid reports of another Ivory Gull in Plymouth along the waterfront. A much easier drive, and an excellent place to see the bird.
I decided to try for the bird this morning after reading a report that the gull was still present near the Plymouth Harbor Master's shack. Why go see this bird? Well, it would be a "life bird" for me; a species I have never seen, and it's pretty far from where it usually resides. From the Cornell informational page on Ivory Gull: "A small white gull of the high Arctic, the Ivory Gull only rarely comes south of the Bering Sea or the Maritime Provinces. In fact, it rarely is found away from pack ice, spending the winter on the ice north of Newfoundland".
No more persuasion needed. There are two being seen on the Massachusetts coast today.
I left home for Plymouth at about 10:15 am under a beautiful, sunny sky. 21°F. I arrived along the waterfront in Plymouth at around 11:00 after having stopped at Obery Street Dunkin' Donuts for coffee. I could see birders on the pier in front of the harbor master building. I made my way down the one-way access road and parked some distance away. I don't like to be intrusive, so I figured I would carry all my gear out to the pier. I made my way a short distance on foot for the pier and noticed plenty of parking, so I hopped back in the 4Runner and parked on the pier with the rest of the birders. I didn't even have time to shut down the engine before I saw the bird fly right in front of me. Can't get much easier than that!
I spent some time watching and photographing the bird and chit-chatting with others. One guy had come from Virginia to see it. I later found out that the bird has sparked interest on bird lists as far away as Maryland (I am sure further away than that as well).
The bird was so close and offered fabulous views. Binoculars were not required, though I did use them, and I never took the scope out of the 4Runner.
No bird report would be complete without a depressing story. An example of just how far-reaching pollution is. This is an endangered species in Canada and, according to National Audubon Society, they are experiencing a "precipitous and inexplicable" decline.
I am so happy to have seen this bird. It was a fantastic, beautiful day in Plymouth.
Additional images at my flickr site.
4 comments:
Looks like a day well spent. I'll try to remain optimistic in thinking that this bird's winter residence is an anomoly and not due to the forces of Man.
Awesome!
Makes me home sick.
: )
I love it!
What a beautiful bird, B he (she) almost looks like a dove to me, but what do I know!!! Thanks for great pictures!
Gia- Yes, a little bit like a dove with webbed feet. No records of adults in Massachusetts since 1880. A few immature birds here and there over the years, but no full-on white adults. A rare treat, indeed.
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