Ronan.McLaughlin
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)
Many of the gulls, especially the smaller ones are undeniably beautiful, but none look quite so immaculate as a summer plumaged Sabine’s Gull. Their upperwing reveals a neat pattern of grey white and black triangles and the slate-grey head is exquisitely bordered with black. The dark grey legs, the neat black and yellow bill and the perfectly spaced white tips to the closed primaries all add to the impression of flawlessness. They are smaller than the Kittiwake with more graceful tern-like flight. Birds in winter plumage retain the striking wing pattern but the head pattern recedes to just a smoky band over the top of the head. In juveniles, the mantle and upperwing coverts are scaly brown, not grey, but otherwise the wing pattern is the same. This brown colouring extends continuously from the mantle as far forward as the eye and also partially over the shoulders creating distinctive rounded blotches at the sides of the breast.
Breeds in Arctic Canada and Siberia but winters in the Atlantic. It is therefore most likely to be seen from a coastal headland or from a boat during a pelagic trip, especially during or after stormy weather in the autumn. This bird is making a return to Cobh for the 5th year in a row!
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)
Many of the gulls, especially the smaller ones are undeniably beautiful, but none look quite so immaculate as a summer plumaged Sabine’s Gull. Their upperwing reveals a neat pattern of grey white and black triangles and the slate-grey head is exquisitely bordered with black. The dark grey legs, the neat black and yellow bill and the perfectly spaced white tips to the closed primaries all add to the impression of flawlessness. They are smaller than the Kittiwake with more graceful tern-like flight. Birds in winter plumage retain the striking wing pattern but the head pattern recedes to just a smoky band over the top of the head. In juveniles, the mantle and upperwing coverts are scaly brown, not grey, but otherwise the wing pattern is the same. This brown colouring extends continuously from the mantle as far forward as the eye and also partially over the shoulders creating distinctive rounded blotches at the sides of the breast.
Breeds in Arctic Canada and Siberia but winters in the Atlantic. It is therefore most likely to be seen from a coastal headland or from a boat during a pelagic trip, especially during or after stormy weather in the autumn. This bird is making a return to Cobh for the 5th year in a row!