3 more at Willington this time !
An odd looking sterna tern at Broom GP, small, v pale and with buoyant flight. When perched had v short legs, slightly rosy underparts and almost all dark bill. The dark underwing egde is a feature not shown by Roseate Tern. An interesting bird though....
1 comment:
Comments from tern expert Klaus Malling Olsen.
Dear Mark
Thanks a lot for contacting me about this tern. It is a Common Tern with unusually pale upperwing, probably caused by unusual moult (younger adult). The pattern on the underwing is typical with rather broad, but diffuse trailing edge to the hand -Arctic would have shown much narrower dark trailing edge, and is is the only ofter tern with such a dark underbody: both Roseate and Forster´s are much paler here.
Best wishes
Klaus.
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