Subject: [Tweeters] "Greenland" Iceland Gulls (Larus glaucoides glaucoides)
Date: Feb 7 11:50:03 2006
From: Wayne C. Weber - contopus at telus.net


Cameron,

Your information about occurrence of the "Greenland" or nominate
subspecies of the Iceland Gull in North America is incorrect. Although it
is much scarcer than the "kumlieni" subspecies, there are numerous
specimens (mostly in winter) from the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland
south to New Jersey, with a few records from the Great Lakes and
other scattered localities such as Georgia, Florida, and Nebraska. (This is
based on specimens only-- never mind records based on photos, etc.)

I agree that it is extremely unlikely (but not impossible) that the
"glaucoides" subspecies of Iceland Gull would occur on the Pacific
coast of North America, which made me somewhat suspicious of the
identity of the "Kent gull" when it was first reported. However, the
occurrence
of this subspecies on the Atlantic coast is well-documented.

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net




----- Original Message -----
From: "Jessie Barry" <jhbirds384 at hotmail.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 7:00 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Gull


Jessie Barry posting a message for Cameron Cox:


< snip >

Some have mentioned the Greenland race of ICGU, glaucoides, which is perhaps
the only race of ICGU, but that is a completely different issue. Perhaps it
is worth pointing out that while glaucoides is suspected to occur in the US
and Canada, especially in Newfoundland, there are no as far as I and
everyone I have ever talked to about this subject, knows there are no, ZERO,
definite records. You would almost have to find a bird banded in the nest
in Greenland to confirm glaucoides in the US/Canada. The chances of a
glaucoides ICGU occurring in WA are quite slim. However bird with white or
virtually primaries do occur in the Canadian breeding colonies. These birds
are still considered to be kumlieni; I have seen several in Illinois.

Cameron Cox
Seattle
Cameron_cox at hotmail.com