Richard, Sabine's gulls are common offshore migrants in the fall, usually relatively far offshore (e.g. we don't see the main migration from shore, but you can see hundreds if you are 10-50 miles offshore). Each fall a few are found inland (including inland inland like Minnesota!). Some years there are major irruptions inland, sometimes probably due to weather and other times probably due to significant breeding success (and thus more birds to wander). Two years ago there were about 20 Sabine's gulls on Lake Tahoe and they were seen widely throughout interior California. Perhaps this is another good year for them over land.
Luke Cole San Francisco, CA
