Sabine's Gull
My joy at finding a pair of Sabine's Gulls had the edge taken off it when a friend said they had looked at their photos and one bird appeared to be entangled in some fishing line. I hadn't noticed this in the field, but when I checked my own photos I found this, which looked just like fishing line with weights attached. Fortunately I was on burst mode so I could see that the bird was just evacuating its bowels. Panic over, but definitely worth sharing. I previously photographed an Ivory Gull doing just the same but against dark rocks it was a bit more obvious: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/53092611329/in/photolist
Sabine's Gulls are rare breeding birds on Svalbard with just a handful of pairs in the whole archipelago. I did not see any at all on my last trip, and typically my views are distant. It is not an easy bird to see anywhere as it breeds in inaccessible spots in the high arctic and winters at sea off the coasts of Africa and South America. Most sightings are when they are migrating in autumn when strong winds blow them close to shore.
Sabine's Gull
My joy at finding a pair of Sabine's Gulls had the edge taken off it when a friend said they had looked at their photos and one bird appeared to be entangled in some fishing line. I hadn't noticed this in the field, but when I checked my own photos I found this, which looked just like fishing line with weights attached. Fortunately I was on burst mode so I could see that the bird was just evacuating its bowels. Panic over, but definitely worth sharing. I previously photographed an Ivory Gull doing just the same but against dark rocks it was a bit more obvious: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/53092611329/in/photolist
Sabine's Gulls are rare breeding birds on Svalbard with just a handful of pairs in the whole archipelago. I did not see any at all on my last trip, and typically my views are distant. It is not an easy bird to see anywhere as it breeds in inaccessible spots in the high arctic and winters at sea off the coasts of Africa and South America. Most sightings are when they are migrating in autumn when strong winds blow them close to shore.