ML619344311

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

A challenging 2nd cycle bird. 2nd Cycle FOTE molt inner primaries in the fall but retain old outer primaries. By spring this creates a COTE-like dark outer primary wedge like this bird shows. Most such retain the distinctive nonbreeding head pattern and are easy to ID but birds like this with the dark wedge, short tail streamers, and alt head are likely to be misidentified as COTE. All other traits are consistent with FOTE though: the large, broad entirely white chest, the long bright orange legs, the long, heavy orange-based bill with an extensive black tip, the oddly curved line of demarcation between the black cap and the face, and the large white wedge between the gape line and the cap. Figure 12 in the Sterna special section of my tern guide shows a very similar 2nd cycle FOTE.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

ISO

800

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/2500 sec

Dimensions

502 pixels x 348 pixels

Original file size

191.72 KB