MDOspreyers:

I photographed the Silver Gull at Cherry Island landfill in Delaware (DOS 
trip led by Mike Smith) last Saturday, 11/20, in the company of Laughing 
Gulls.  Much lighter mantle color, and red bill and legs, of course.  That 
bird has been there for "several" years, according to the locals.  It's a 
stunner.

If anyone wants to see a photo, please contact me privately.  It may be a 
week or so before I can send you a picture, but I will do it after the 
Thanksgiving holiday plus a week.

Kevin Graff may be correct in guessing that the National Zoo in D.C. was a 
possible source of escape(s).  I do remember Silver Gulls -- and Inca Terns 
too -- in the big outdoor cage.  Not there any more.

Now all we need is for someone to find an Inca Tern in the 
Mid-Atlantic.  Any volunteers??!!

Mike Bowen



At 08:49 PM 11/23/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>A friend of mine has recorded his sighting of a Silver Gull in Pennsville, 
>New Jersey in 1996. Here's the link: http://songstar.org/sigu-001.htm.
>
>Arlene Ripley
>Calvert County, MD
>
>piwa AT comcast DOT net
>http://nestbox.com
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Davis" <>
>To: <>
>Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 7:58 PM
>Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] "Silver" Gull
>
>
>>Hi Helen:
>>
>>It's an Australian species, Larus novaehollandiae. The species has even 
>>been seen in DE and PA on and off for the past ten years or so ... it's 
>>also been reported a couple of times here in Maryland. Most suspect it to 
>>be an escapee, but ... who knows!
>>
>>BTW, I maintain that you can find the answer to 99% of all questions on 
>>the web. Just "google" the phrase "Silver Gull" (I prefer the Google 
>>Advanced Search page) and you will see a number of web sites with info 
>>and photos of Silver Gulls.
>>
>>Hope this helps ...
>>
>>Phil
>
>D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
>8609 Ewing Drive
>Bethesda MD 20817-3845
>Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
>e-mail: