Iceland
Gull (Larus glaucoides)
Despite
its vernacular name, the Iceland Gull does not breed in Iceland but in Arctic
Canada and Greenland. In Britain, it occurs mainly in the north and west during
winter. Numbers appearing in Britain fluctuate considerably and large influxes
occasionally occur, possibly associated with severe northwesterly gales. L. glaucoides is a very scarce winter
visitor and passage migrant in Sussex; around 89 individuals in total being
recorded during the winter periods of 1961/62 to 2010/11. Prior to this only 26
had been recorded in the county. Most records relate to individual birds
observed in late winter or spring. The
above pictures of a second summer bird were all recently taken during very overcast conditions on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides.
References:
Newnham,
J. (2014). Iceland Gull. The Birds of Sussex. Thetford: British Trust
for Ornithology (BTO) Books on behalf of the Sussex Ornithological Society, pp.
324-325.
Newnham,
J. (1996). Iceland Gull. Birds of Sussex. Sussex Ornithological Society,
pp. 324-325.
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