Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 20:28:08 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Mary Ann Todd Subject: Re: Fw: tern MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Both Forster's and Common Terns move through the DC area in spring and fall. In the case of Forster's in July-October, it is more like post-breeding dispersal, in that large numbers appear with flying young and loiter for weeks or months at spots like Four Mile Run and Hunting Creek. Commons occur in much smaller numbers, especially late August-October, and generally don't hang around. Typically you see small parties or singles heading straight down the Potomac, and you might have only one or two such sightings all fall. In July Forster's would be the most common small tern, Least next most likely (although quite rare Least has breed at least twice in DC and is quite likely currently breeding on some roof in the Anacostia watershed), and Common would be least likely. I don't know of DC July records of Common Tern off hand, but they could occur as post-breeders, perhaps accompanied by young, like the Forster's. Both Forster's and Common have bred nearby in the Chesapeake Bay, Common at Hart-Miller. Dave Czaplak Germantown, Montgomery Co, MD dma3@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================