7 replies to this topic

[folkeye]

Some shots taken today 7-7-12 at Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Orange County CA. Having trouble with identification of the terns...



Tern 4 by notrufus, on Flickr



Tern 3 by notrufus, on Flickr



Tern 2 by notrufus, on Flickr



Tern 1 by notrufus, on Flickr



Black-necked Stilt and Tern by notrufus, on Flickr

[creeker]

Those are adult Forster's. They go good with the juvies you posted.

[folkeye]

Those are adult Forster's. They go good with the juvies you posted.

Awesome, thanks. Wasn't sure the one with the more forked tail was the same. They had some smaller whiter terns too but I couldn't get pictures.

[creeker]

The smaller ones were Least Tern. It's the only smaller whiter tern here in Socal.

[psweet]

Why isn't that first bird an Elegant? The tail looks short and the bill really long.

[creeker]

Why isn't that first bird an Elegant? The tail looks short and the bill really long.

I was actually studying that one last night, trying to figure it out. Something came up and I got distracted. Elegant is certainly a possibility this time of year on the coast here. That bill is really long.

[doc]

The first bird could very well be an Elegant Tern; there are many of them at Bolsa Chica. Elegant was my first response.

[folkeye]

So possibility of Elegant in the mix? I know both are found there.