Bridled Tern - Jeff R. Wilson
Report

Contributor

Date

Location

Pickwick Lake--Bruton Branch Recreation Area
Hardin, Tennessee, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist
Map
Map Coordinates: 35.069376, -88.1902479
Age
Not specified
Sex
Not specified

Observation details

Before Mike had arrived I had 2 birds fly through that were too far away in the mist to ID but both puzzled me, one being a large white tern that did not fly right for a Caspian and a smaller darker bird with the flight like a Common Tern more up and down of bouncy than the Sooty Terns. The second mystery bird was soon discovered as I got Mike on the small bird in with some Common Terns. I had an idea that it was a BRIDLED TERN and that was confirmed when we had it fly for some distance right beside a Sooty. All details were recorded as the bird turned and danced in front of us and drawings were made because the wind and rain made it impossible to follow the bird with a camera. Whenever I run across a rare or unusual bird and can't get a photo, I usually do a quick sketch with notes on a 3x5 card. We had this small tern at first with a group of 3 Common Terns and its size, wing and body movement was very similar to these small birds. Shortly thereafter we had the bird flying with an adult Sooty Tern and the size, gizz and coloration differences were readily seen. The Bridled weighs 3.5 oz. where a Sooty weighs 6 oz., the Bridled has the same wing span as a Common Tern but weighs 7/10 oz. less, this gives it a more bouncy flight than the Sooty Tern and this feature first caught my eye. Here are the notes we put on the card; we discussed all these features and more as we had the bird in view. Reading from top to bottom: 7/11/05 Pickwick Dam, TN - Bruton Branch - Bridled Tern - Very black cap contrast with gray/brown back - Nape paler than back - Much white (seen) in tail - Wing darker than back - Very white front to wing w/ dark contrast (upper) lesser covert(s) - Base of primaries (underwing) white - compared to 14 Sooty Terns- Smaller than Sooty - Brown Gray - (signed) J. R. Wilson, Mike Todd Field Card can be seen here: http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/image/46176187

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