Sabine's Gull

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Sabine's Gull: for more photos, see Sitka Nature Photo Gallery for Xema sabini
Locale   Sp     Su     F     W     Br  
SE Alaska (edit) R VR R - -
Yakutat (edit) R - U - -
Skagway (edit) - - - - -
Haines (edit) - - - - -
Glacier Bay (edit) R R R - -
Juneau (edit) VR + - - -
Sitka (edit) - - VR - -
Stikine (edit)
S Outer Islands (edit)
Ketchikan (edit) VR - VR - -
Offshore (edit)
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini):

Southeast Alaska Quarterly Bird Report Mentions (2008-2018, Heinl and Piston)

  • Fall 2008: A juvenile bird was at Eagle Beach, near Juneau on 10 August 2008 (P. M. Suchanek photo, G. Baluss). This pelagic species is found primarily off the outer coast and is rare on inside waters of the Alexander Archipelago.
  • Spring 2009: A flock of 25 was reported at Nichols Passage, near Ketchikan, on 27 May 2009 (J. Levison). This species occurs primarily on pelagic waters off the outer coast (e.g., 140 between Fairweather Grounds and Khaz Bay on 20 May 2009; J. Brady-Power) but is considered casual on the inside waters of the Ketchikan area (Heinl and Piston 2009).
  • Summer 2009: Late migrants were reported in lower Glacier Bay on 1 June 2009 (two) and 6 June 2009 (10; Nat K. Drumheller). This primarily pelagic migrant is very rare on inside waters.
  • Fall 2009: Very rare on inside waters, single Sabine’s Gulls were reported in Icy Strait 18 August 2009 (MWS, PMS) and Glacier Bay 18 August 2009 (JN; Figure 9).
  • Spring 2010: Four Sabine’s Gulls at Gustavus 25 May 2010 and a single in Glacier Bay 30 May 2010 (NKD) were the only reports. This gull is a rare spring migrant on inside waters in Southeast Alaska.
  • Fall 2010: Small numbers of juvenile Sabine’s Gulls were observed in the Ketchikan area during stormy weather 10–26 October 2010, primarily single birds flying south, with a maximum of seven on 17 October 2010 (AWP, SCH, WTY). Non-storm-related birds were found in Cross sound 10 August 2010 (adult; GPS) and Glacier Bay 4 September 2010 (juvenile; BBP, NKD).
  • Summer 2010: Rare on inside waters of Southeast Alaska, a few Sabine’s Gulls were reported in the Glacier Bay area with singles in lower Glacier Bay 18 June 2010 (NKD) and 8 July 2010 (MDS), and at Gustavus 24 June 2010 (NKD; Figure 7), and three in Glacier Bay 2 July 2010 (NKD). More unusual further inshore was a single bird at Juneau’s Eagle Beach 19 June 2010 (PMS, PAR, BAA)
  • Fall 2011: Single Sabine’s Gulls were reported in lower Glacier Bay 5 and 22 August 2011 (NKD). This species is rare (but regular?) on inside waters in Southeast Alaska.
  • Summer 2011: A juvenile Sabine’s Gull at Glacier Bay 31 July 2011 (NKD; Figure 6) was very rare on inshore waters and surprisingly early, too, as juveniles are not typically found until later in the fall.
  • Summer 2012: Six Sabine’s Gulls in lower Glacier Bay 8 June 2012 were likely late migrants, but one at Gustavus 3 July 2012 and two in Lower Glacier Bay 6 July 2012 were unusual in mid- summer (NKD; Figure 11). This primarily pelagic migrant is rare on inside waters.
  • Spring 2013: Two Sabine’s Gulls were observed in Glacier Bay 14 May 2013 and 27 May 2013, and at least 60 in the lower bay 31 May 2013 provided a new local high count (JV, SFN, photo). A single Sabine’s Gull was also found at Ketchikan 14 May 2013 (SCH). This gull is a rare spring migrant on inside waters in Southeast Alaska.
  • Summer 2013: A Sabine’s Gull in lower Glacier Bay 18 July 2013 (JFS) added to what appears to be the annual summer occurrence of this normally pelagic species in Glacier Bay
  • Fall 2014: A 1st-cycle Sabine’s Gull at Sitka 4 November 2014 (MRG; Figure 6) provided the only report of the season. This pelagic species occurs primarily well offshore of Southeast Alaska (Gabrielson and Lincoln 1959).
  • Spring 2015: A high count of 55 Sabine’s Gulls was made in Snow Passage 25 May 2015 (PEL), and three were found at Gustavus 14 May 2015 (BBP). This gull is a rare, regular migrant on inside waters in Southeast Alaska.
  • Fall 2016: Coinciding with the November influx of Red Phalaropes in the Ketchikan area were single 1st-cycle Sabine’s Gulls on the late dates of 8, 9, 11, and 12 November 2016, likely representing multiple birds (SCH, AWP, JHL; photos). Another late bird was reported at Sitka 11 November 2016 (HB). More remarkable, however, were singles at the Chilkat River, near Haines, 20 November 2016 (JS, photo) and 23 November 2016 (MF; Figure 7). The latter likely set a new late date for the state, as the latest date that I know of is 20 November 1994 (Field Notes 49:86). This pelagic species occurs primarily well offshore of Southeast Alaska and is rare on inside waters.
  • Summer 2016: Two Sabine’s Gulls in Icy Strait 1 June 2016 (ACC) were likely late migrants, and one at Gustavus 3 July 2016 (BBP) added to what appears to be the annual summer occurrence of this normally pelagic species in the Glacier Bay area.
  • Fall 2018: The Sabine’s Gull occurs primarily well offshore of Southeast Alaska during migration and is rare on inside waters. Singles were found in Glacier Bay 10 and 11 August 2018 and 20 September 2018 (NKD), and another was reported at Kasaan Bay, Prince of Wales Island, 23 October 2018 (RBB, SCS).
  • Summer 2018: A flock of 140 Sabine’s Gulls at Gustavus 10 June 2018 (NKD) established a new high count for the Glacier Bay area. That sighting was followed by four in Glacier Bay 14 June 2018 and three there 17 June 2018 (NKD). An adult was also observed near Haines 18 July 2018 (CDE, PHS; Figure 3). This species is rare on inside waters in Southeast Alaska; it typically migrates over the continental shelf and nests in arctic and sub-arctic tundra habitats in western and northern Alaska (Day et al. 2001).






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