Subject: [Tweeters] FW: WDFW News Release: Rare Ross's gull spotted in
Date: Dec 20 15:50:21 2011
From: Brew - brewshome at comcast.net


Thought the list might have an interest in this.



Jim Brewster

brewshome at comcast.net



From: WDFW Public Affairs [mailto:do.not.reply at dfw.wa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 2:45 PM
To: Jim Brewster
Subject: WDFW News Release: Rare Ross's gull spotted in Okanogan County



WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

December 20, 2011

Contact: Jeff Heinlen, (509) 826-7372

Rare Ross's gull spotted in Okanogan County

A Ross's gull has been spotted on Palmer Lake in Okanogan County by
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Biologist Jeff Heinlen.

The Ross's gull (Rhodostethia rosea), an East Siberian arctic species that
normally winters at sea, has only been documented one previous time in the
state- in late November and early December of 1994, near McNary Dam on the
Columbia River.

"This is like a holiday present for bird watchers," said Heinlen of Omak.
"This is arguably the rarest bird currently in the state, and definitely
worth a trip to the area to catch a sighting."

Heinlen observed and photographed the Ross's gull-a 13.5-inch-long adult in
gray, white and pink plumage-resting on and flying over the lake Dec. 15 and
16. His sighting was confirmed by other wildlife biologists yesterday. Based
on other non-arctic sightings of Ross's gulls, biologists speculate the bird
may remain in the area for a few weeks.

The first Ross's gull to be seen in temperate North America was at Clover
Point in Victoria, B.C., in October and November 1966-the sole British
Columbia sighting to date. Another adult Ross's gull was seen at
Newburyport, Mass., in early 1975. Since then, an average of about one gull
annually has been found in the United States south of the Canadian border.

In the Pacific Northwest states, the bird previously has only been seen on
Yaquina Bay, Ore., in February and March of 1987 and in the 1994 McNary Dam
sighting.

For those wishing to catch a glimpse of the gull, Palmer Lake is about 15
miles northwest of Tonasket, six miles south of the Canada border. Heinlen
says there are two developed areas for public parking along the lake-the
Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Split Rock day-use site at the south end
of the lake and a Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
campground on the eastern shore. There are restroom facilities at each of
these areas.

Heinlen reminds anyone visiting the area to be respectful of private
property and residents around the lake, and to refrain from blocking roads
or driveways or trespassing.

Heinlen's photograph of the Ross's gull will be posted on WDFW's Facebook
page at <http://www.facebook.com/WashingtonFishWildlife>
http://www.facebook.com/WashingtonFishWildlife . Others who see the bird are
encouraged to share their sightings in the comments section of the post.

For more information on Ross's gull, see

* http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1059/overview/Rosss_Gull.aspx
* <http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/rosss_gull>
http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/rosss_gull .

_____

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