[MDOsprey] Bridled Tern continues at Pt. Lookout SP, 9/5/99
Jane Kostenko (jkostenko@somd.lib.md.us)
Sun, 5 Sep 1999 13:31:03 -0400
Yesterday, September 4, Stephen Hult took word to the Point Lookout
State Park (St. Mary's County, MD) visitor's center that he'd seen a BRIDLED
TERN. Luckily, local birder Marty Cribb was at the V.C. and immediately put
out word and went to look for it himself. Unfortunately, other local birders
were unavailable and it started to rain heavily, and Marty was not
successful in relocating the tern.
Today, Sunday, September 5, Marty Cribb, Joe and Betty Gagliano (sp),
Tyler Bell, and I saw the bridled tern several times between 9 and 10:30
a.m. Patty Craig and Ann Bishop joined us and also saw the tern.
It seems to leave with the group of gulls and terns and disappear for a
while at a time, then returns (at least today) to the very end of the point,
which is blocked by the Coast Guard lighthouse (viewing was through a chain
link fence, until the tern flew around the point in front of us on the river
side).
By looking at Harrison's Seabirds of the World, we feel that it is a
first-year bird, based on the lack of white outer tail feathers, no tail
streamers, and the extent of white on its forehead.
Oh, and the Kelp Gull was present at the Sea Breeze on September 4; it
has lost some coverts and shows a large white patch on each wing (as have
some of the Great Black-backed Gulls), though it seems not to have lost any
primaries yet.
Tyler Bell and Jane Kostenko
jkostenko@somd.lib.md.us
California, Maryland
Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why they call it the PRESENT.