[obol] Smith and Bybee (Portland) Sterna tern
- From: Tom McNamara <tmcmac67@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: obol <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2014 22:26:47 -0700
Hi all,
Right after work, I scooted as quickly as possible out to Smith & Bybee
lakes. Traffic impeded arrival time (and I would like to have had the
opportunity to re-do my choices of where I went first, second etc....)
Anyway, ended up, finally, going to the A blind on Smith, then out past it
through all that vedgey stuff so I could actually see something. Didn't
see much at first. Eventually, though, I spied a Sterna sp. tern way over
on the west side. It was pretty late by then (about 7:30) and with
combination of failing light and pretty "out there" distance I just could
not get nearly enough detail on the flying bird to take it past ID-ing it
as a sterna. It showed tern-like flight, seemed to have light-ish
upperparts and whitish (or nearly so underparts). White, somewhat forked
tail was contrasting with other plumage. It had a slim, "shallow" build
i.e. not a deep, or bulky body; it did not appear long-tailed. I thought I
could barely make out some black on crown or hindcrown, but it was iffy.
Wings: couldn't get much--they appeared, possibly, maybe, to be a little
lighter/quite pale toward the inner secondaries. No way on getting info
on things like narrow vs. dark primaries edges or dark wedges. Hope it
sticks and someone can get a better ID when there is better light.
good birding,
Tom
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- » [obol] Smith and Bybee (Portland) Sterna tern - Tom McNamara
