Common Tern, Sterna hirundo


Common Tern
Common Terns are indeed common as nesters along the Atlantic coast; they are relative rarities, mostly in fall, near the California coast where I live.


Common Tern


Common Tern
The Common Tern shown perched having its breakfast above and below was photographed across the pond in Regent's Park, London.


Common Tern


Common Tern
The birds shown above and below here were photographed on the southern Maine coast in July.


Common Tern


Common Tern
A few Common Terns like this one are seen every fall during migration on or near the California coast.
 

Common Tern
This fall Common Tern was seen on a pelagic trip on Monterey Bay in fall, where either a Common or an Arctic might be seen. The dark wedge on the primaries identifies this as a Common.


Common Terns
Send for the avian chiropractor...

Common or Arctic Tern
I posted this picture on a birding listserv for comment, inquiring if it showed a Common Tern, and an expert noted that the short bill suggested a juvenile Arctic, especially if the apparent dark leading edge to the wing was an artifact of the photo angle. An Arctic would be very rare, a Common not nearly so rare on the central California shore, so I have it down as a "Commic" Tern (Arctic and Common are often hard to separate when seen in flight), and have posted it both here and on my Arctic Tern page.