Hello All,
This bird was seen on an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts on 19 July 2020. Common, Roseate, and Least terns all breed in this area, while Arctic Terns are exceedingly rare at any time of year. This individual caught my eye because of the overall gray breast. Then I noticed the teeny tiny legs. It seems to be a SY or TY (i.e. second- or third-summer) “Commic” tern. Other than the short legs, it doesn’t really seem structurally different than the nearby Common Terns, and the one local birder with whom I shared the photos thought it was probably a Common in what they used to call “portlandica” plumage. But he allowed that he was not very familiar with Arctic Terns.
Would any tern mavens like to weigh in here? I’m thinking that UK birders who are more practiced at separating Common and Arctic Terns might be able to help me out. (Note: When it comes to aging terns and gulls, I am not totally up to speed on the latest molt terminology, so please dumb it down for me if you can.) I do have a few more photos from slightly different angles (but none of the bird in flight, unfortunately.)
Thanks in advance!
This bird was seen on an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts on 19 July 2020. Common, Roseate, and Least terns all breed in this area, while Arctic Terns are exceedingly rare at any time of year. This individual caught my eye because of the overall gray breast. Then I noticed the teeny tiny legs. It seems to be a SY or TY (i.e. second- or third-summer) “Commic” tern. Other than the short legs, it doesn’t really seem structurally different than the nearby Common Terns, and the one local birder with whom I shared the photos thought it was probably a Common in what they used to call “portlandica” plumage. But he allowed that he was not very familiar with Arctic Terns.
Would any tern mavens like to weigh in here? I’m thinking that UK birders who are more practiced at separating Common and Arctic Terns might be able to help me out. (Note: When it comes to aging terns and gulls, I am not totally up to speed on the latest molt terminology, so please dumb it down for me if you can.) I do have a few more photos from slightly different angles (but none of the bird in flight, unfortunately.)
Thanks in advance!