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Message: <blockquote data-quote="changer400" data-source="post: 1187383" data-attributes="member: 33574">Hi Rob Dont agree with you <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> but there is nothing new there then , I tend to disagree with most peopleMy Measurements included tail lengths of 5-8 for common and 8 for Sandwich (!) I am not denying the fact that seen well over a period of time in a comparative state the Orange billed and Sarnie Terns do look bigger/Bulkier, however the observer has stated that it was bigger then the accompanying Common Tern (!) which should take care of that. If you have ever seen migrating terns overhead , they are all flattened out like this one , so bulk has no place on this bird , unless introduced by the ObserverAnd I have never thought how big Arctics look like against Commons under any field conditions ! always the opposite in fact ! So what we have here is the following , are we led to believe that this observer , saw a couple of terns ove head , decided to phograph them and based on it being a bit larger , called it out as an Orange Billed Tern (!) Rubbish , I assume he saw an Orange Bill on a Tern then photographed it as it flew overhead ! , resulting in this image. We can bleat on all day about it must be an Arctic Tern ( actually one of the species I dont think it is at all incidentally <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> ) based on one photo, but we have to look beyond that and take in the field chars as well ! And yes Jane , the common Tern alongside would be a good shot to see ! SiEDIT: One thing I have just seen on this bird after pe'grin's Size illustration, is what an extremely long Neck it has ! Now I have seen 1000's of Arctics over the years , inc many migrating at reasonable heights , and all look Bull necked, even when calling , This simply cant be an Arctic on Structure alone ???</blockquote>

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