[texbirds] 7 tern days - look at their breeding plumages now

  • From: MBB22222@xxxxxxx
  • To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:32:04 -0400 (EDT)

Yes it is spring and life has plans to multiply. From March 15 I had a few  
7 tern days  - still waiting for Black Tern (one was already reported on 17 
 in Louisiana); Except Common Tern (I saw no migrants, only wintering young 
 birds) every tern species has individuals in more or less full breeding  
plumages. Even one Black Skimmer, out of hundreds, was in full breeding 
plumage  (see photo) - earliest for me - anybody had seen more recently or on 
earlier  dates, now or in the past?
 
Least Terns finally started to show up in small flocks (had flock of 16 on  
March 15) but another migrant (SATE) only one or few.
 
All seven terns plus skimmer - individuals in most advanced stage of  
prealternate molt
(Black Skimmer, and Least, Sandwich, Common, Forster’s,  Gull-billed, Royal 
and Caspian Terns)
 
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149282284/original_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149282284/original) 
 
BTW COTE included in above photo is a very interesting individual. See more 
 photos and perhaps share your opinion
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149255267_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149255267) 
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149255271_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149255271) 
Or  all COTE photos 
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/common_tern__head_molt__utc_march_15_2013_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/common_tern__head_molt__utc_march_15_2013) 
 
Also some might like to read this discussion from over 10 years ago.
_http://secrb.trinidadbirding.com/ttmysterytern.html_ 
(http://secrb.trinidadbirding.com/ttmysterytern.html) 
_http://secrb.trinidadbirding.com/ttmysterytern2.html_ 
(http://secrb.trinidadbirding.com/ttmysterytern2.html) 
 
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field) 
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