The Baltimore Ivory Gull 

The past couple of months have seen an excellent selection of scarce gulls in Baltimore Harbour . Things kicked off with a couple of Iceland Gulls in the second week of January which, though always a welcome sight, have in recent years become a regular feature locally in mid to late winter. Then, on 13 th Jan, a particularly dark looking Iceland Gull aroused curiosity. After careful scrutiny and a couple of headaches, this bird proved itself to be a juvenile Kumlien’s Gull, a hybrid between Iceland and Thayer’s Gull and hailing from the west Greenland / Baffin Island area. By this time there were at least six Iceland Gulls (and possibly as many as ten) present in the area. Next up was Glaucous Gull, the first being seen on Sherkin Island on 28 th Jan and with a further four different birds recorded on and off during February. Also seen in the area during February were an adult Yellow-legged Gull (on 14 th), a 1 st winter (hatched last year, 2008) Little Gull (on 19 th) and at least three Mediterranean Gulls of different ages.

On 3 rd March, in weather conditions that could only be described as lousy, I took up the offer of a spin to Skibbereen to do the weekly essentials; I didn’t get there. As the 12.15 ferry from Sherkin Island was approaching Baltimore a snow white gull flew over...surely too small for an Iceland ...and it’s not all white - those are black spots on the wings aren’t they..? Can’t be... It’s got a dirty face! It can only be... IT IS!! A first winter Ivory Gull!!! After confirming first impressions and eliminating the possibility of temporary hallucination, panic set in. No phone credit. Borrow a phone (demand would be a more accurate term) – no reception. Run to Cotter’s for credit – no glasses, so it takes four attempts to top-up. Phone Eric at BINS (Birds Ireland News Service) to get the news out. Now comes the agonising wait, praying it doesn’t fly off before anyone else sees it, during which time a camera was borrowed from Bushes and some ‘photos’ were taken, two of which may or may not have featured a bird. First to arrive was Colin from Castlefreke who seemingly didn’t encounter any traffic on the way and must’ve taken the birders favourite route – as the crow flies. The bird was still giving stunning views around the trawlers and someone else had now seen it, so it was time to relax. Not for long though, because around 2.00 the bird disappeared, minutes before folk started to arrive from elsewhere in the county and Eric’s on the phone asking for the latest news as there’s others on their way from Dublin and there’s still no photos. And people think birdwatching is such a peaceful meditative pastime?! Luckily, all’s well that ends well. At 2.55, we were just set to go out to Sherkin via a close inspection of the gull flock midway across the bay when it reappeared in front of all present (Martin, John Hunt, Youen Jacob & camera, Mick Hartnett and myself) and by 5 o’clock most of the hardcore Cork birders and several from further away had it tucked safely under their belts. Phew!! The bird subsequently spent the next five days in and around Baltimore harbour, thus allowing all who wanted to see it the opportunity to do so. It was last seen on Sunday 8 th March.

The Ivory Gull is a true high Arctic bird, having a more northerly range than any other species and has the distinction of being the only species to have been recorded at the North Pole. They breed on sea cliffs and isolated rock peaks above snow or ice in places with names like Novaya Zemliya, Franz Josef Land and north-east Greenland , where they feed on whale carcasses and Polar Bear droppings amongst other things. In winter they sometimes venture south of the Arctic Circle , as proven by this bird. The Baltimore bird is the 17 th to be recorded in Ireland (which includes 7 pre-1931 records) and is the first since an adult at Kinsale in 1999.
By Julian Wyllie