Forster’s Tern Delights Spittal Pond Visitors
Birdwatchers at Spittal Pond have been treated to the view of a Forster’s Tern in the skies this week, the Bermuda Audubon Society said on their Facebook page.
BirdWeb.org says, “The Forster’s Tern is similar looking to the Common Tern, but found in slightly different habitat. In breeding plumage, it has a light gray mantle with silvery-white primaries.
“Its long, light tail is deeply forked, and its undersides are all white. The wings appear very light, silvery gray in flight. It has a black cap, commonly found in terns. The bill is orange-red with a black tip, and the legs are orange-red’both more orange than those of the Common Tern.
“The adult in non-breeding plumage lacks the black cap. Black markings over the eyes, extending back to the ears, give the bird a distinctly masked look. The bill is black, and the wingtips are grayer than in breeding plumage.
“Juvenile birds have a significant amount of brown wash on their feathers, but this usually disappears by August.
The Spittal Pond Forster’s Tern [photograph by Andrew Dobson]:
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