1974 Newburyport. Photo by Kenneth P. Able
1974 Newburyport. Photo by Peter Alden.
3 records
| MARC number | Decision | Species | # | Location | County | Arrival | Departure | Observers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-002 | A | Ross's Gull | 1 | Newburyport Harbor | Essex | 12/7/1974 | 5/6/1975 | K. Able (ph), P. Alden (ph), P. & F. Buckley (ph) | 15 |
| 1990-007 | A | Ross's Gull | 1 | Niles Pond, Gloucester | Essex | 2/1/1990 | 2/1/1990 | Richard Forster* | 23 |
| 1998-005 | NA | Ross's Gull | 1 | Sandy Neck Beach, Barnstable | Barnstable | 5/13/1998 | 5/13/1998 | 5 |
This attractive, small, pink-breasted gull can be a great draw wherever it appears. The famous 1974-1975 bird from Newburyport Harbor was called ‘The Bird of the Century’. To learn the story of this epic record, read the article originally published in the June 1975 edition of American Birds.
The committee accepted a 1990 report by the legendary, late Richard Forster, who sighted the bird on Niles Pond in Gloucester on February 1. Although no photographs were obtained, this experienced observer published an extensive account of his encounter in Bird Observer June 1990, volume 18, number 3, covering all plumage aspects and addressing potential identification pitfalls.