A Rare Gull, A Moon Crater, and a Pine Tree

-->

Sabine Gull

Meadville, PA photographer Shawn Collins took the photograph above and throughout this post of a rare Sabine Gull near the spillway at Pymatuning State Park in early September.

“I’ve been a birder for years,” he said. “This gull is just amazing and very rare for our region. There was quite a bit of excitement and a rather large group of people watching this unusual gull.”

There are numerous fun facts about this small gull. For example, the Sabine Gull was first discovered by explorer and scientist  Sir Edward Sabine in 1818. He sent the bird to his brother Joseph, a naturalist, who named it, Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini) in honor of his brother. Edward Sabine was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 14, 1788.  He was a very accomplished explorer and scientist; he died June 26, 1883.

Sources and some additional good reading: Alaska Seabird Information and  Edward Sabine

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Sabine Gull is an unusual and distinctive gull which breeds in arctic areas but likes to winter in warmer climates. It can be identified by it’s unusual forked tail, long pointed wings and a short black bill with a yellow tip. It is a striking gull, according to Cornell, because of it’s striking plumage at either time.

Many local observers believe the gull was pushed into the northwestern Pennsylvania region because of very stormy conditions in the Arctic and western regions of it’s habitat.

Shawn Collins is sharing more photos of this rare gull at his photo album

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pghdjshawn/sets/72157647314128636   

and you can also get more news and photos on his Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/Shawncollinsphotography

Last Winter, Another Rare Visit

The discovery of the Sabine Gull at Pymatuning is not the only guest visitor within the year. Last winter, observers also reported a snowy owl, another rare bird which also drew crowds of observers. Shawn Collins was able to get the above photograph in a field in southern Erie County,as well as other at the spillway at Pymatuning. Both the gull and the snowy owls are residents of the Arctic, Alaska and northern Canada.

Some Hummers are Coming

According to Sarah Sargent of the Meadville Audubon, another unusual bird could soon be in the region so keep the hummingbird feeders up until the end of October.

“We get some late migrants including the Rufous Hummingbird that now seems to be migrating through Pennsylvania more frequently in the fall,” she said. “So it’s best to keep the hummingbird feeders up for a few weeks in the late fall.”

Linda Armstrong, the environmental specialist at Pymatuning State Park, who is aware of the Sabine Gull is uncertain if the snowy owls will migrate through the region this winter again.

“Anyone’s guess is as good as the next one,” she said.
Pymatuning State Park offers a whole range of opportunities and Linda Armstrong always has some fascinating fun events planned. If your unfamiliar with the park, Pymatuning.

Audubon Climate Change Report

Just weeks after the sad anniversary of the death of the last remaining passenger pigeon, Martha, 100 years ago on September 1, the National Audubon Society release a rather grim report. According to the new report, nearly half of the bird species in North America, and in our region of northwestern Pennsylvania, could disappear. The culprit is basically climate change. For a National Geographic summary of the study which used 30 years of Audubon citizen-scientist observations and climate data, click, Extinction.

The Audubon report can be found here at Bleak Future.

The photograph of the trumpet swan posted above was taken by Shawn Collins at Pymatuning State Park. According to the Audubon report, trumpet swans could be facing a rather bleak picture because of global warming.

Monarchs

Regarding species which fly through the region during the fall: On September 15, I saw my first Monarch butterfly this year. I wasn’t quick enough with the camera but it was feasting on the blooming goldenrods and purple asters,(pictured above).

The Monarch have been in decline for years now and perhaps there is some encouraging news, according to an article in the Sunday, September 14 issue of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, A Rebound?

Monarchs need  milkweed, a perennial North American wildflower. Milkweed has been eliminated in many areas because of herbicides, loss of open space and landscaping practices.

Some organizations and landowners are now taking action to help the most famous of all North American Butterflies. Discover more and opportunities that you can do at Monarch.

And Just for the Heck of It

In addition to the Sabine Gull, there is a crater on the moon named after Edward Sabine as well as the California grey pine (Pinus sabiniana).