Date: 4/13/24 4:18 pm From: Kaaren Perry <surfbird1...> Subject: [slocobirding] One good tern deserves another!
I decided to check out a few ocean vistas between Old Creek and Cayucos Creek during the rain this morning. Forster's, Elegant and Caspian terns were all visible from my car window. A few of the Elegants are showing the pinkish tint on the underparts. 'Occasional pink tinge to body feathers reported in autumn (Hudon and Brush 1990 <https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/eleter1/cur/references#REF26199>), although usually lost by early Sep" - Birds of the World, Cornell.
At Old Creek there was a distant adult Bonaparte's Gull, giving me a little start as I pulled up. The black hood had me taking a second look since this particular creek mouth has hosted immature Laughing gulls lately. Bonaparte's while not rare, are always a treat.
