ML608497553
Contributor
Lori Shuler Media from this contributor Profile
Date
Location
Highline Lake SP
Mesa, Colorado, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Observation details
This observation was made with Bill S. - Observed the five terns via scope as they perched on buoys and as they floated in the water. The COTE was in alternate plumage while the four FOTEs were in basic plumage. This is normal in September according to Sibley’s literature. The Common Tern had a full black crown and nape with an orange-red bill. It had lost its dark tip on the bill (normal by September). In flight I could pick out the COTE because it’s body and wings were darker (gray vs white) than the FOTEs. The COTE also had noticeably shorter legs than the FOTEs. This is an important point and was easy to see when comparing the terns as they perched on buoys. See photos.
Technical information
- Model
- COOLPIX P1000
- ISO
- 110
- Focal length
- 467 mm
- Flash
- Flash did not fire
- f-stop
- f/7.1
- Shutter speed
- 1/500 sec
- Dimensions
- 3139 pixels x 2190 pixels
- Original file size
- 919.9 KB