ML608454831

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

Digiscoped

Observation details

Found less than an hour earlier by Roger “Captain Solano” Muskat. As soon as I got the message I hopped in the car and was on my way. Arrived to see Roger and the Stephensons pointing south over the highway… they pranked me pretty good as the bird was actually still in their scopes lol. It was sitting on the water a ways out past the intake before lifting off and pursuing a Forster’s Tern. The Forster’s stood little chance as it rocketed across the pond with impressive speed. After alighting on the water for another five minutes the jaeger once again picked up and chased a tern, this time continuing over the levee and flying out of sight to the east. It was never seen again. Apparently a dark juvenile by Roger and LS’s assessment. Identified as Parasitic by structure and by the bright white flash both above and below the wing. The bird was clearly larger and heavier than the Forster’s and appeared quite slim - not a Pomarine. Very fast, agile, direct flight. On the water it was structurally different from a Long-tailed. This jaeger was much more gull-like with a rounded “Modo head” as Roger put it. The bill was quite thin and long for a jaeger, not stubby like a Long-tailed. This is only Roger’s second Parasitic for the county, which tells you all you need to know about its rarity. My digiscoped photos are suggestive of jaeger but not identifiable. Better photos were taken by Roger and the Stephensons.

Technical information

Model

iPhone 11

Lens

iPhone 11 back dual wide camera 4.25mm f/1.8

ISO

125

Focal length

4.3 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.8

Shutter speed

1/104 sec

Dimensions

803 pixels x 803 pixels

Original file size

175.61 KB