When we first saw the Iceland Gull yesterday about 1:15 pm on January 25, 2009, it was on the Gwinnett side of the lake. We were at the lower overlook (east of the dam). From the bottom of the parking area, we set the scope up and could see a group of mostly juvenile Ring-billed Gulls far out past the point were the visitors center is located. They were perched on something jutting out of the water that was about ten or twelve feet long. Luke spotted a "really white gull, Mom!" in the mix.

We watched it for a few minutes and noted its all white wings and tail in flight. Luke took a few unsatisfying digiscoped photos. It was very overcast, so the light wasn't very good. We were getting ready leave (we had non-birding plans that afternoon and were already running late), when the gull got up and flew across the lake to the buoys at the dam, still far away, but Luke was able to get a few photos in flight and we jumped in the car and hurried over the dam to the west overlook on the Forysth side.

When we first got out we didn't see the gull for several minutes and then noted a white head visible on a piece of white styrofoam between two orange drums. Eventually the gull jumped onto the orange drums and we finally got a really good look at it and Luke was able to digiscope some much better photos. We felt it was an Iceland Gull (1st winter) based on its overall white color with faint tan wash, size, head shape, dark pink leg color, bill shape and dark bill color. The bird was visibly larger than the Ring-billeds, but not as large as a Glaucous should be. We viewed the bird until we had to leave about 1:50 pm, and then it was seen shortly after by others.

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