ML639879686

Observation details

Continuing bird. I don't remember who found it originally (my apologies to them). This bird is smaller than the adjacent Elegant Terns. It has an extensive black cap that covers the top of the head, the black eyes and goes over the back of the head. It does not have the black bandit mask of a Forster's Tern. It has dark legs that look like they are dark red and the left foot is missing. The bill is thin and black. The prerequisite black wingbar for this species is visible. The bird was at 33.752336,-118.133679 which is the wide beach facing the ocean. This flock is directly east of the public bathrooms that are south of the parking lot. I paid $1.50 to park for 45 minutes because I don't want to get a ticket. If I understand it correctly, this bird has been repeatedly seen at the thinner smaller inland beach on the other side of the road here where kids learn how to surf, but when I got here there were a very large number of children and adults at the spot where I was supposed to look for this bird.