Adult Ivory Gull

Cherry Beach, Toronto, 15 February 2010

I met Paul Prior and we were looking at the gulls on the ice at Cherry Beach. Paul spotted a white gull flying our way from the Spit. It was gleaming white in flight and landed on the edge of the ice. We got our scopes on it and saw it was an adult Ivory Gull by its pure white plumage, black legs, and by its yellowish-orange tipped bill with grey-blue at the base. It had no facial markings. Shortly after, all the gulls flushed and it circled for several minutes, then it settled down when I was able to take only three photos before it flew again, this time west and out of sight. Many people searched for it later that day and the following day but it was not refound.

 

Cherry Beach is at the foot of Cherry Street in east Toronto. Cherry Beach and Clarke Beach have the same parking lot.

 

 

Ivory Gull taking off.