ML166479931
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Media notes
The video is very low quality, and there is no way to attach, but this snapshot may somewhat show the distinctive shape
Observation details
***very rare. First county record pending acceptance. Viewed well in the scope for about 10 minutes just before sunset. Spent entire time in the immediate vicinity of this pond 41.1032665, -121.4319240. I approached the pond after getting some extremely low-quality in-flight video of the bird, but it had disappeared, presumably to roost somewhere in this vicinity. I find it extremely likely the bird will be here tomorrow in the early morning, but I have no idea after that. Circumstance: as I was walking out the levee scanning occasionally S for ducks and shorebirds I noticed a small whitish bird appear above a clump of reeds (at the edge of the aforementioned pond) and at first assumed it was a phalarope due to size and color. Once I got my binoculars on it I realized it was a Least Tern due to the extremely small size, buoyant fluttery flight, proportionately long winds and short tail. Once I got the scope on it I was able to pick out more subtle details such as the wing pattern (just a couple dark primaries forming a sort of “wedge” on the upperwing) which was otherwise grayish, and a short yellow bill w a fine black tip. The tail was distinctly not forked and was very short. The cap was dark, but I did not note the forehead pattern in the field (likely a symptom of too much time spent trying to secure documentation🙄). Other terns were eliminated by a combination of size, proportions, wing and bill pattern, and flight style. The only somewhat similar tern that is expected locally is forster’s and would show whitish upperwings, would be obviously larger, have much longer tail, and would not be as fluttery in flight for prolonged periods of time
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 345 pixels x 230 pixels
- Original file size
- 40.45 KB