James(jamie)Campanelli
Animal Tech 2, Psychology Dept.
Guthrie Hall
6~11AM monday-friday
206-221-6248

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:20:45 +0000
From: James Campanell <pups2go at hotmail.com>
To: jcampane at uw.edu
Subject: FW: WDFW News Release: Rare Ross's gull spotted in Okanogan County



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From: do.not.reply at dfw.wa.gov
To: pups2go at hotmail.com
Subject: WDFW News Release: Rare Ross's gull spotted in Okanogan County
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:44:51 -0800

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 .
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 .


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