Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini), Grebe Pond, Buenos Aires NWR, Pima County

This beautiful alternate-plumaged Sabine's Gull was found by Philip Kline on 28 August 2008 at Grebe Pond in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.  It stayed for three days and was photographed by Philip on 28 August 2008 and on 30 August 2008 by Jerome Smith.

Sabine's gull is a casual spring and rare and irregular fall migrant through the state.  Most records are of immatures.  In flight, Sabine's gulls of all ages have a striking and diagnostic wing pattern.  At rest, the gray hood in adults is very extensive and it has a unique black lower border (seen best in the second photo).  The black bill with a yellow tip is diagnostic in adults. 

The name of this bird is one of the most mispronounced of all bird names.  It is pronounced roughly suh-bean.  Click below to hear a sound file from the Webster's dictionary website of the correct pronunciation: 
 

The bird was apparently named after Sir Edward Sabine (1788–1883), an Irish astronomer, ornithologist and explorer who accompanied John Ross (another gull namesake!) on his first Arctic expedition in 1818. 

30 August 2008, photos by Jerome Smith

 

28 August 2008, photo by Philip Kline
 

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