Dave Gordon and I watched from the south end of Squaw Island from about 4:15
p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and did not see the bird return to the railing on the NY
side where it had fed heavily earlier in the day. It was last seen around
4:00 p.m. flying over to the Fort Erie side and appeared to land with the large
raft of Bonaparte's that were sitting just upstream from the Int. Railroad
bridge as they normally do. We scanned the raft several times as well as the
milling Bonys close to the shore in Fort Erie, but were unable to relocate the
bird, although it would have been easy to miss at that time with the
distance and lighting. Also around were at least 1 juv. Common Tern and 4-6 Great
Egrets on the Fort Erie shore.
Some photos of the Sabine's Gull can be found here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jmpawli88 (http://picasaweb.google.com/jmpawli88)
To say the least, a simply amazing bird.
Jim Pawlicki
Amherst, NY
In a message dated 10/27/2008 9:57:09 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
lazarcg1@netzero.net writes:
On 10/27/08 about 2:30 PM Bill Watson found the juvenile Sabine's Gull from
Squaw Island (home of the Buffalo Sewage Treatment Plant). Bill called
various BOS members but reported that the bird left while members were enroute.
While Bill, Jim Pawlicki and I were discussing our bad luck, Jim spotted the
bird returning. We got absolutely close looks, most passes the Sabine's hugged
the breakwall and we had to lean out from the rail to see the gull pass below
us at 10 feet. We also saw it repeatedly come in, pass beneath us as it
caught minnows, then we saw a rear view as we excitedly got continuous good looks.
Eventually the bird settled onto the water and we saw it drift away then it
returned again. Eventually it drifted downriver to the Canadian side and I
would be very surprised if it does not return yet another time tommorrow
morning. It ate a lot of minnows along the wall.
Get off the I-190 (northbound) at the Peace Bridge exit and continue to
Niagara St. then continue north towards the Peace Bridge. For I-190 southbound
traffic get off at the Ontario St. exit and proceed southbound on Niagara St.
Look for Ferry St. on the west side of Niagara St. and Rich Lane (same
street) on the east side of Niagara St. and turn into Robert Rich Way, shortly
crossing the Black Rock Canal Bridge then an immediate right and then an
immediate left into the parking lot. The Sabine's is seen right there.
Any questions, please feel free to call.
Jerry Lazarczyk
Grand Island NY
716-773-7453
716-548-0798 cell
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