Tern - Skinningrove Cleveland N.Yorks borders (1 Viewer)

Steve_Halstead

Sparrow or Crow?

• Aug 23, 2013

• #1

Just had a pic of this

The black legs, black beak and the colour seem to show that it is either a young or summer plumage Sandwich tern, just felt it was worth asking to make sure. Given little terns have more of a head like this, they would have a red beak and red legs...

Many thanks

BB

 

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Hotspur

James Spencer

• Aug 23, 2013

• #2

Sandwich Tern - note the yellow tip to the bill which is pretty long and the long legs. Obviously it's a good bit bigger than commics but a single bird is difficult to judge. The white forehead is post breeding moult

 

Steve_Halstead

Sparrow or Crow?

• Aug 23, 2013

• #3

Thank you for your help, saw the yellow tip in the book but then sat trying to distinguish if it was the moult pic.

 

chris butterworth

aka The Person Named Above

• Aug 23, 2013

• #4

Non-breeding plumaged Sandwich Tern for the reasons given. Little Tern are very much smaller with a black tipped yellow bill, yellow legs and a small white forehead reaching back over the eye as a short supercillium.

Chris