ML634761774

Observation details

Absolutely wild surprise to pull up and find this tern hunting over parking lot pond!! Breeding plumage. Elegant, medium-sized tern with small rounded head and short straight bill. Very buoyant flight and long white tail with thin black edges to outer tail feathers. All black cap, small dark-red bill, smooth grayish underparts extending up into sides of neck and offsetting a thin white cheek stripe. Wings above very pale gray with thin black edges to outer primaries above and a very thin, sharply defined black edge to trailing edge of primaries below, not expansive and smudgy like a Common. Many photos. Back of camera shots for now until I’m done with tour tonight.