Ivory gull seen in Plymouth

Yesterday, as I was driving to work from Plymouth, I was listening to the public radio station and heard a story about a rare Arctic bird that was sighted in Gloucester. It was a fascinating story as they described the beautiful ivory gull, a pure white gull that grows to 16 to 17 inches long with black feet and black eyes. These birds typically spend the winter on ice north of Newfoundland. No one knows why the bird came so far south. The next day I read in the Globe that another ivory gull had been sighted in Plymouth. The chances of this bird being sighted twice in Massachusetts was described as likely as lightning striking twice in the same place!

It was the first Massachusetts sighting of the species in more than two years, which usually makes its home in the high Arctic. Hundreds of birdwatchers from as far as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland had come to the parking lot in Gloucester where the ivory gull was seen. Bird-watchers would otherwise have to travel to the top of the world to see the ivory gull. Scientists believe the species is declining which makes it even more of an attraction.

If you're a birder why not come to the Tidewater for the weekend and travel the short half hour drive to Plymouth harbor to see the ivory gull. There's no telling how long the two ivory gulls would stay in this area so come on down.

Voula
(info from Boston Globe)