Sabine's Gull Xema sabini is a gull that breeds in the Arctic, and winters off the coasts of South America and Africa, but usually migrates far off shore. Occasionally in the fall, and more infrequently in spring, we see a Sabine's Gull from sure in the Puget Sound. I have never before seen a group of Sabine's Gulls from shore, forget about far from the outer coast until yesterday. A friend texted me to let me know that he was seeing these birds from the shore at the Chamber's Bay Golf Course beach access. (Golfers may recall that the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur championships were played on this course a few years ago.)
I dashed over and watched as this flock of 9 Sabine's Gulls (6 shown here with a single winter plumage Bonaparte's Gull in the foreground) drifted close enough for photos.
The black leading upper wing edge if very distinctive in this species.
In this overcropped photo you can also see the black bill with a yellow tip and the black hood.
These are a really cool gull, always fun to see, and especially exciting to see so close to home in numbers.
Good birding.
